Scars
by rizlow
Summary: Dean and Devon's relationship has always been stormy - but can they work through the scars of their past to find each other again? Sequel to The Fine Line
1. Chapter 1

Her shoulder was on fire.

Every running step Dean took, every time his foot landed on the ground beneath, the impact sent searing pain through her body. She fought for breath as unearthly, keening moans escaped her lips at the agony she was enduring.

"Sam!" Dean shouted as he reached the campsite, and his brother appeared from behind the tent.

"Dean! What happened?" Sam leaned inside the tent, grabbing a blanket and tossing it down, then helping Dean lay Devon on the ground. She was clenching her teeth, trying to keep from screaming, her body quaking, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"The chupacabra. It's dead, but it was fast, got Devon before I could even get off a shot." Dean was kneeling down by Devon as Sam grabbed the medical bag and began rummaging through. "Sam, get me the whiskey. I've gotta disinfect this fast." He put a hand to Devon's face, his lips pressed tightly together. "Dev, we're gonna fix you up, okay? I promise. Hang in there, baby." Sam handed the bottle to his older brother and knelt on Devon's other side. Dean cut away Devon's shredded t-shirt, pulling it carefully from the wounds, and cut through her bra strap to remove it as well. The claws had torn three deep gashes from the top of her left breast all the way over her shoulder, deep canyons in her soft, pale flesh. Dean looked at Sam, tortured determination in his eyes. "You ready?" Sam's jaw clenched as he swallowed hard, then nodded, putting his hands on Devon's good shoulder and her thigh. Dean felt sick as he removed the cap from the bottle, closed his eyes for a second, then gritted his teeth and poured the alcohol over the gaping wounds.

Devon screamed, her body attempting to thrash about, but they held her down as much as possible to keep her from further injuring herself. When she lost consciousness, Dean squeezed his eyes shut tight, thankful that she had a few moments' relief from the pain. "Son of a bitch," he whispered.

"Dean. We need to get her to a hospital."

"Yeah. Okay. You drive."

Devon stood staring at her reflection in the mirror, her fingers absently tracing the scars that began on her shoulder and ended just inside the top of her bra. A year and almost eight months had passed, and the pain was still as fresh in her mind as if it had just happened. In fact, sometimes there was still pain, nerve damage from the deep wounds the monster they had been hunting had inflicted on her. And sometimes - a lot of times - there was other pain, too.

A pair of strong arms slid around her from behind, and she felt beard against her neck as a kiss landed there. "Hey, Devon. My turn for the shower? Or do you wanna join me?"

"I'm already clean, Jack, but help yourself." She shrugged him off her neck and turned, pulling out of his arms, walking out of the bathroom, heading for her dresser to pull out a pair of well-worn jeans and a soft old t-shirt. His blue eyes followed her for a moment before he closed the door, and Devon heard the shower start.

She dressed and sat down on the edge of the bed, guilt nagging at her. Jack was a good guy, a great hunter, they'd helped each other out on a hunt once and had been seeing each other ever since. But it was starting to mean more to him than it was to her, and she didn't like the voice in her head that was telling her she was using him. She stood, sighing, and headed for the kitchen.

She was sitting on the sofa, her legs tucked beneath her, when he came out of the bedroom, and she had to admire him as he finished pulling his shirt over his head. He was a big man, tall and solid, a redhead with striking blue eyes, any girl would be proud to be seen with him. She answered his smile with one of her own as he perched himself on the edge of the coffee table in front of her. "I have to go. Can I call you later?"

"Yeah. Sure. I'm heading to work in a bit. You have a case, or..."

"Nah, at least not yet. Helping a buddy work on his ride." He leaned in to kiss her softly. "So, I'll see you tonight, right?"

Devon gave him a vague smile. "Yeah, probably." His eyes searched hers for a moment, then she looked down at the mug in her hands.

"Baby..."

Her gaze rose sharply to his face again, tension evident in her clenched teeth. "Don't. Don't call me that."

Jack took a deep breath, looking away, and spoke softly. "Sorry. I forgot." He stood, turning towards the door. "I'll call you." Devon closed her eyes as the door shut softly, letting the pain wash over her once again.

She walked into the diner and almost turned around when she saw the hulking figure of Sam Winchester seated at the counter, smiling and talking to Nicole. Then she squared her shoulders and walked the rest of the way in, going behind the counter to deposit her purse on the shelf beneath. "Mornin', girl! Look who just popped in," Nicole said cheerfully, her eyes never leaving Sam's face.

"Hey, guys. Sam, how are you?" she answered, then went around to hug Sam, letting his long arms envelop her and his warm affection surround her for a moment before pulling back.

"I'm good. We just got back from a long trip, decided to hit Bobby's for a while. You doing okay?"

"Oh, yeah, you know me. I'm fine." She smiled at him, the best she could muster, and headed for the kitchen, Sam and Nicole's eyes on her the whole way.

Nicole looked up at Sam as he raised her hand to his lips. "I'm worried about her, Sammy. She's just - it's like part of her is closed off."

"Yeah. Dean's 'fine,' too," Sam answered quietly. "I've tried to talk to him, but..."

"I know, she's the same." Nicole sighed. "She's still seein' that Jackson - he's a really nice guy, but...trust me, it's just a distraction."

"Well, there's not much we can do about it."

Nicole smiled up at Sam, sorrow in her green eyes. "I know. They're both too stubborn to admit they need each other. And too stubborn to say 'I'm sorry.'"

Devon took a silent step back into the kitchen, flattening herself against the wall by the door as she heard Nicole's words. Her eyes closed, and she could hear their fight all over again as if it had just happened; Dean, furious with her as she packed for a hunt, throwing things out of her bag as fast as she put them in. Dean telling her she couldn't go, that she was done, that if she'd listened to him in the first place, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. Dean telling her that all she'd do is get one of them hurt or killed. Dean telling her that she had no business being a hunter.

God, it still hurt so much that it hurt to breathe. She had screamed back at him, told him to get out and never come back. That Winchester pride had reared its ugly head, and he had sworn he wouldn't, that she didn't have to worry about seeing him again. He had grabbed his bag and stormed out, slamming the door behind him, abandoning anything at the apartment that wasn't in that duffle. She still had his things, the few that there were, in the bottom drawer of her dresser. And she hadn't opened it since.

The rest of that day passed in near silence, Devon working to keep busy and out of the line of fire of Nicole's worried glances and "Are you okay, girl?" or "Do you need to talk?" She felt as if she were about to fly into a million different pieces, each blowing a different direction, and she longed for the day to end so she could get home and lock herself away, avoiding everything but the bottle of Irish whiskey in the cupboard. Sam showed back up as they were closing up, and she brushed past him with a quick good-bye to him and her best friend, mumbling that she had a date. Nicole met Sam's glance, shaking her head slightly as she locked the door.

"You okay, Devon?" Jack spoke softly next to her ear as she sat, his arm around her, at a table against the far wall. Smoky's was busy, it was Friday night, and a large group of bikers had taken up most of the front half. Fine by her, she wasn't in the mood to be social, was perfectly happy hiding in the shadows at the back of the bar. She picked up her beer and drained what remained in the bottle.

"I'm fine." She answered him without looking, fingers picking at the label on the bottle.

"I'll go get us another beer. Be right back." The big man stood and headed for the bar, leaving Devon without her shield against the other humanity in the place. A large, well-built biker with a blond ponytail smirked and took a couple of steps in her direction, but an epic eye-roll from her changed his expression, and he moved on to another target. She threw her Nike-clad feet up on the chair across from her and leaned her head against the wall, her eyes closed, trying to let the alcohol in her system wash away any coherent thought.

"Hey, Dev."

The sound of his voice snapped her eyes open and set her heart pounding, and she looked up into his startlingly green eyes.

"Dean." She was acutely aware of his gaze travelling over her, lingering on the scars above the scooped neck of her tank top as she put her feet on the floor and straightened.

"How are you?" He asked softly, and she met his eyes for another millisecond before answering.

"Half-drunk, working on getting all the way. You?" Jackson arrived just then, two beers in his hands, looking between the two of them before setting Devon's beer down in front of her. She muttered her thanks, taking a long pull from the bottle. "Jack, this is Dean. Dean, Jack."

Jack stuck out his hand, and Dean shook it firmly. "Winchester? Dean Winchester? Man, it's great to meet you. I've heard stories..."

"Yeah. I'll bet," Dean answered, glancing at Devon.

"I'm Jackson Munroe. Man, every hunter's heard about you - and your brother. Sam, right?"

Dean glanced around, but no one there was paying them any attention. "Munroe. Yeah, Bobby's mentioned you. Says you're good."

"Not Winchester caliber," Jack said, grinning, as he sat down next to Devon.

"Trust me, it's impossible to live up to that," Devon said, her quiet words sharp as she rose from her chair and headed to the ladies' room.

When she returned both men were seated at the table, engaged in conversation. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes closed for a moment before approaching, reaching down beneath her chair to grab her purse.

"Devon, you okay?" Jack asked, concern on his face as she slung her purse over her shoulder.

"Fine. Long day. I'm heading home." She turned to go, but a big hand on her arm stopped her.

"I'll drive you. You've had quite a few."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Jack stood, turning back towards Dean. "Nice talking to you, man. Maybe we'll see you around."

"Yeah. Maybe," Dean answered, his eyes on Devon, who stared stoically at the floor. Jack put his arm around her and they made their way through the bikers milling around in the front of the place, the bell on the door chiming as they left. Dean stared after them, downing his shot, and gesturing to the waitress for another.

Devon locked the door, leaning back against it for a moment before walking to the kitchen, pulling the whiskey from the cupboard. She had told Jack she wasn't feeling well, finally talking him into going to his own place for the night, ignoring the guilt nagging at her about how she was treating him. She wasn't lying. She wasn't feeling well. She wanted to cry. She wanted to punch something until she was so exhausted that she couldn't stand up. She wanted to drink herself into oblivion.

She downed one shot after another until her head was spinning and her stomach was burning. Then she headed for her room, stripping down as she went, climbing into the shower and letting the water, as hot as she could stand it, pelt her head and shoulders as she finally, for the first time in months, let go and cried. She let the pain wash over her in waves as she sobbed until she could barely breathe, her throat raw and her body shaking. When the water began to cool, she shut it off and climbed out of the shower, drying herself numbly, then trudging to the bedroom to throw on a freshly laundered pair of panties and an old Metallica shirt. She pulled back the covers and fell into bed, letting exhaustion and alcohol send her into unconsciousness.

She woke a couple of hours later, a dull pounding in her head and her stomach rolling rebelliously at her treatment. She moaned loudly, sitting up, her head in her hands, before the awareness that someone was watching her set in. She turned her head slowly, very slowly, to see the large, dark figure leaning in the doorway. "What th' hell are you doing in here?" she said, her voice a little slurred and raspy.

"Are you okay, Dev?"

She rose to her feet, swaying unsteadily. "I wish everybody would stop asking me if I'm okay. I'm fine, damn it, just leave me alone!" She lurched into the bathroom, dropping to her knees in front of the toilet, emptying her stomach into the porcelain. She felt his fingers pull her hair from her face, holding it out of the line of fire as he knelt on one knee beside her.

"Can't hold your liquor, I see," he said, a small smirk on his face as he put a steadying hand to her forehead.

"Screw you," she said, sagging weakly against him.

"I don't think you're up to it, sweetheart," he said catching her as she passed out once again. "Good thing I'm here, you'd have been sleeping on the bathroom floor," he muttered as he hiked her up, then lifted her into his arms. He carried her back to the bed, covered her and stared down at her, brushing the hair from her eyes.

He left the room, heading for the front door, then changed his mind halfway there. Instead, he plopped down on the sofa, one arm behind his head, closing his eyes. But sleep eluded him as that night played back in his mind, the night he left, the night she told him never to come back.

He did feel guilty. He had been really harsh with her, but she just didn't get it. He didn't want her hunting anymore. The thought of seeing her torn up like that again... He'd never forget it. And she never knew, never understood that she almost didn't make it. Sam had driven like a Formula One driver to get her to the hospital while Dean had held her in the back seat of the Impala, trying to staunch the bleeding from the tears in her shoulder and chest. But by the time they had gotten there, she had been in shock, and she almost didn't pull through. And then the cleaning of the wounds, and the stitches... So many stitches. And he had refused to leave her, sat at her side as she clutched his hand, at least when she was conscious. He couldn't go through that again, and he knew that the only way to make sure of that, to make sure she wouldn't carry on the hunter's tradition of dying young and bloody, was to force her out.

I worked for a while. He lost her, but she was alive. And safe. For a while.

And then she got the itch. He kept tabs on her, through Bobby. Through people he knew, connections he had in the life, Nicole. But none of them could get through to her, and none of them could stop her. Sam even tried at one point, but... She was just as bull-headed as Dean himself, so that didn't work either.

He finally drifted off, wondering why he had come to the apartment in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

Devon made her way to the shower, barely able to open her eyes. Her head was pounding right along with her heartbeat, her stomach was churning, her mouth tasted like something had crawled in it and died. She turned the water on, stripped down, and stood there half-conscious, letting the spray beat down on the back of her neck. After a few minutes, she finally rallied her wits enough to wash her hair and body before the water turned ice cold.

She dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a sports bra, then padded barefoot out of her room, her hair hanging in a wet mass down her back. She was halfway through the living room when she stopped dead in her tracks, turning to look at Dean's still-sleeping form stretched out on the couch. Suddenly she was wide awake, and her temper flared as she strode to the couch, put a hand on his shoulder and shook him roughly.

Before she could blink an eye or say a word, she was on her back on the carpet, one arm twisted behind her, Dean kneeling over her with her other wrist pinned to the floor. His eyes widened a little as he focused on her, and he let her go, standing quickly as she scooted away from him and leapt to her feet. "What the hell? What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She fired the questions one after the other, not waiting for an answer. "You've got a lot of nerve breaking into my place, Dean!"

His brows were drawn together in an angry scowl as he growled back. "I didn't break in. The door was unlocked."

Devon's mouth snapped shut and she stared at him, still furious. "So you just come in and crash on my couch? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"If I hadn't come in, you would have spent the night on the bathroom floor, sweetheart," Dean said sarcastically. "And you would have puked all over yourself, for that matter."

"I don't need you to babysit me. I'm a big girl. If I pass out on my own bathroom floor, it's none of your business."

"Yeah, well, maybe I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Devon stared back at him, silent, for a moment. "You didn't want to have to worry about me anymore, remember? So don't do me any favors."

"Oh, baby, don't worry. I won't make that mistake again. I'll let Lumber-Jack do the honors."

"Screw you!"

Dean glared at her, his green eyes almost glowing. "I'll let him take care of that, too. I hope he can handle what comes with it." With those words he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him, and she heard his heavy boots hit the wooden steps loudly as he went down. The Impala roared to life, spraying gravel as he backed out, the tires squealing as he hit the street. Devon stared after him for a moment, then determinedly fought back the tears that were filling her eyes and went to the kitchen to make a pot of very strong coffee.

Nicole's eyes opened slowly as a calloused finger moved gently down the length of her arm. She sighed softly as Sam snuggled in closer, his hand now roaming over her belly, then her ribs, then up to cup her breast, and she giggled as she felt him growing hard against her back. "Little Sammy is awake, I see," she teased, and Sam's low chuckle sent a shiver through her.

"Cute. Can't be helped, can it, waking up next to you all warm and naked," Sam said against her ear, and she giggled again, which faded into a soft sigh of pleasure as he teased at her nipple, then bent to kiss her ear. "Come here," he whispered as he turned her to face him, capturing her lips with his, running his hand down the smooth skin of her thigh as she raised it over his hip. He moved his hand to cup her bottom, pulling her tight against him, and he moaned into her mouth, pressing himself hot and hard against her core, already wet and waiting for his entrance. "You drive me crazy, Nic," he mumbled against her lips, then kissed her harder as he pulled back a little and Nicole adjusted herself to let him slide slowly into her warmth.

He rolled to his back, holding her tight against him as she let her head drop back, a quiet moan escaping her parted lips. "What a way to wake up," she said, grinding herself against him, making him buck up into her a little, and a small triumphant smile curved her mouth. She did it again, listening to Sam's low moan, and he let her go, pushing himself upward as she gyrated and clenched around him. He reached up to tweak at her nipples, and Nicole began to ride him hard, the sensations overwhelming her quickly.

"Damn, woman," Sam growled, his hands back on her hips, gripping her tight and helping her slam down onto him even harder as he clenched his teeth, he head thrown back on the pillow. As Nicole let out a whimper, her center pulsing around him as she came, he let out a low shout and exploded into her, the throbbing sensations eliciting another cry from Nicole as she rode him to his finish, then collapsed, breathless, onto his chest.

They laid in each other's arms for a few moments before Sam kissed Nicole's forehead, then her lips. "I'm sorry, but little Sam needs to go for a walk," he said, smiling as Nicole giggled, then moaned softly. He rolled to his side and reluctantly pulled away from her, giving her another quick kiss before leaving the bed and heading to the bathroom.

Nicole smiled and stretched like a contented cat, pulling the sheet up over herself and letting her eyes close again. It was so good to have him back, and she hoped this time they'd stick around a little longer. Dean was keeping them busy, and she sighed, knowing what was driving him away from Sioux Falls - the Grand Canyon sized rift between him and Devon. They both needed a good shaking.

She sat up, holding the sheet up to her chest, as she heard a key in the front door, then heard it swing open. "Nicole?" Devon's voice called out softly just as Sam came out of the bathroom into the hall. Then Nicole heard an "Oh!" and "Sam! I'm sorry!" as he backed into the bathroom again and closed the door most of the way.

"Hey - uh, Nic? You wanna bring me some pants?"

Nicole laughed, climbing out of bed and throwing on a t-shirt and a pair of panties. "Yeah, just a sec." She padded down the hall, handing Sam a pair of boxers and his jeans through the door. "Did you get an eyeful, girl?" she teased as she walked into the living room, where Devon stood, her hands still on her face.

"Oh my God, Nicole, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I completely forgot Sam might be here. I just needed to talk. I'm sorry..." She trailed off, and Nicole's smile faded at the tone of her friend's voice.

"Devon, what is it?" She put a hand on her shoulder, and Devon dropped down to the couch, shaking her head.

"Dean! He was on my couch this morning when I woke up, like he has the right to just come into my place whenever he wants! I haven't seen him for months, and then he claims he wanted to make sure I was okay? Like he cares!"

Nicole was quiet for a moment before she answered. "Devon, he does care."

"Like hell he does! He's a selfish, conceited asshole, and he only showed up because he thought Jack might be at my place. He has no right to just jump back into my life. He threw me out of his life quick enough. He couldn't be bothered with me anymore, the mighty hunter Dean Winchester. Just because he..."

"Devon Nolan, that's enough!" Nicole cut Devon off sharply, standing with her arms folded and her green eyes snapping with anger. "I'm gonna go make some coffee, and then we're gonna have a talk, girl. I'm so done with you two. Done." She whirled around and stalked to the kitchen as Devon stared, open-mouthed, after her.

Nicole started coffee, then turned to find Sam standing in the doorway. "You okay?"

"Not yet. But I will be," Nicole answered, standing on tiptoe to kiss him, then heading back to the living room as Sam turned to let her by. She sat down on the couch next to her friend, her jaw set. "Now. You two have been apart for, what - over a year, now? You both have a stubborn streak a mile wide, and you're both too damn proud to say 'I'm sorry.' Dean just hunts until he can't see straight, dragging Sam along for the ride, like that's gonna solve anything. And you! Jackson Monroe is a good man, but he's not for you, Devon. You are using him and it's not right. For him or for you. And you know it. You drink all the time, you're reckless when you hunt, so Jack trails after you and makes sure you're still alive at the end of the day. Because you don't care." Devon looked up at Nicole, opening her mouth to answer, but Nicole held up a manicured hand to stop her. "I'm not done. You and Dean are both in hell-bent-for-leather, full-bore, don't-give-a-shit-if-I-die mode. And Dean's selfish? Honey, I've got a news flash for you!" Nicole threw herself up from the couch and stood to face Devon again, her soft southern accent growing stronger in her anger. "He almost lost you when that chupacabra attacked you. Do you realize that you almost died, Devon? Have you ever even been told how bad it was? Because it tore Dean apart. Tore. Him. Apart. All he could think of was getting you out of the life, because he was afraid you wouldn't make it the next time. And he ended up losing you over it. But all he cared about was keeping you safe. And then you go back out there on your own anyway. Because you're stubborn, and you don't care if you live or die. You have lost it, girl. And there are a few of us who do care that you stick around."

Devon sat there in silence for a moment, staring at the floor. Then she stood and walked to the door, leaving without a word, closing the door softly behind her. Sam walked slowly into the room, putting his arms around Nicole as she turned to him, her fists finally unclenching as she hugged him tight, trembling slightly. "It's okay, Nic. She needed to hear it."

Nicole looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I know. But she's my best friend, Sammy. And instead of listening to her, I just tore her a new one. This has to stop, Sam. I need them to be okay. I want us all to be the way we used to be. I..." She trailed off, her body beginning to shake slightly, and Sam tightened his grip on her as her legs gave way.

"Nicole?" Sam sat her on the couch, going to one knee in front of her, peering into her face. His brow creased in a worried frown as he put a hand softly to her face, watching her stare ahead, unseeing. He had seen this a few times before, but usually her visions came while she slept.

After a few seconds, Nicole blinked and stared up at him silently. "Sam..."

"It's okay, baby, take it easy. Take your time," Sam said, helping her to lie back on the couch, propped up on the throw pillows. "Let me get you some water."

He went to the kitchen, returning a few seconds later with a bottle of cold water. Nicole took it from him, drinking mechanically, still dazed. Sam sat silently by, waiting for her to recover. When she finally looked up at him, her eyes were weary and frightened. "It's Devon, Sam. I saw her, tied up, bleeding, in some awful, filthy room. She looked so scared. I saw someone standing behind her, but I couldn't see them, it was too dark."

Sam pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. "It's okay, Nic. I'll call Dean. Just rest, okay?" Nicole nodded weakly against his chest, and Sam kissed the top of her head gently, then pulled back, looking into her eyes. "It'll be okay." He kissed her lips softly, then laid her back against the cushions, standing to go to the bedroom for his phone.

Devon turned the key in the lock and walked into her apartment, closing the door behind her, numbly turning the deadbolt. She stood facing the door, unmoving, for a moment, her mind in a spiral, wondering when and how she had gotten to the point of alienating even her best friend.

She turned, finally, heading towards the kitchen where she had left a pot of trucker-strength coffee brewing when she had left earlier. A shadow moved in the corner of the room, and a low, unfamiliar voice spoke, kick-starting her pulse into high gear.

"Hello, Devon."

Her entire body tense, she slowly moved her head until she could see the large black man standing, arms folded, staring intensely at her. "Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my place?" she asked, her voice tight and angry.

"Gordon Walker. And you're Devon Nolan, right? Scott Nolan's daughter. He was a good hunter." Devon stared back at him, silent, and the corner of Gordon's mouth curved a little. "You've been running with the wrong crowd, girl. Has anyone ever told you that? The Winchesters are bad news. Fortunately, I'm prepared to take care of that trouble."

Devon finally turned to face the intruder, folding her arms across her chest. "And what makes you think I have anything to do with the Winchesters?"

Gordon scoffed. "Everybody knows you're Dean's little playmate, Devon. Not really a secret." He took a step towards her, and she was immediately in a defensive stance, causing him to chuckle softly. "All I need from you is Sam Winchester's location. Then I'll leave you be."

"If you're so smart, why can't you find him yourself?" Devon asked, warily eyeing the man who had begun to move slowly closer as she moved back from him.

"I've been watching Dean. And Bobby Singer. And I haven't seen Sam. So he's holed up with somebody around here. And I'm sure you know who."

"Even if I did, what on earth makes you think I'd tell you anything?"

"Oh, I think you'll tell me. Or Dean will."

A derisive laugh escaped Devon's lips. "Dean would die before he sold out his brother. Anyone who knows the Winchesters knows that."

"But would he let you die?" Gordon was slowly but deliberately drawing closer to her, and she was running out of room to back away.

"To tell you the truth - I think he would," she said sharply, then whirled to deliver a roundhouse kick to the big man's chest. He staggered back for a moment, then landed a solid punch to Devon's face, splitting her lip and making her jaw go numb, the sharp tang of blood on her tongue. Her eyes narrowed as she went into full combat mode, shouting as she attacked the intruder. She landed several punches and kicks, taking several hits, and finally found herself pinned against the wall as Walker zip-tied her hands behind her back. He turned her roughly, slamming her back against the wall, his arm across her throat as he glared at her through red-rimmed eyes. She spit the blood from her mouth into his face, and he grinned. "You're crazy," she managed to growl, even though her attacker was barely allowing her enough air to breathe.

"Maybe. But sometimes it takes a crazy man to do what needs to be done." With those words, he punched her again, and she sagged, unconscious, in his grasp.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean was at the top of the stairs before Sam and Nicole got out of the car, stopping dead in his tracks as he eyed the door, which was open just a crack. His adrenaline pumping, he took a step back and kicked it inward, sending it rebounding from the wall, and his hope of preventing whatever had happened died quickly.

His practiced eye found traces of the struggle, even though not much was out of place. He was familiar enough with Devon's place to know things were knocked over, moved slightly from their usual positions. Sam came into the room, followed closely by Nicole, who whispered a quiet, "Oh, no," as she stood just inside the door. "We're too late." She stepped into Sam's arms as he tucked his pistol into the back of his jeans. "Damn it!"

"We'll find her, Nicole," Dean said, looking for any clue that would tell them who had taken her. Sam tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay, Nic. She'll be okay," he said softly as Nicole looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"I yelled at her. God, what if that's the last thing I ever say to her, Sam? What if..."

"Nicole!" Dean's voice wasn't loud, but it rang sharply through the apartment. "We will find her. She will be okay. That's the only way it can be. Got that?" She looked back at him, silent, for a moment, then nodded slowly, stepping back from Sam and wiping tears from her lashes.

"Yes. You're right." She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. "I'll go check out the bedroom."

Sam watched her leave the room, then stepped closer to his brother. "Anything, Dean?" he asked softly.

Dean shook his head. "No. Whoever this was, they're good. Because Dev's a fighter. I can tell she fought back, but she lost in the end. If they managed to take her out..." He stopped, his jaw clenching as he wrestled with the thoughts that came unbidden into his mind. Sam put a hand on his brother's shoulder and squeezed.

"She's tough, Dean. She'll be all right. And we're gonna find her." Dean gave a short nod, then turned as Nicole reentered the room.

"She must have her phone," she said softly. She looked at Dean's face, then walked up to him, putting her arms around him. "I knew you still loved her," she whispered as she hugged him. Dean didn't answer, but finally gave her a quick hug in return before they turned to leave, locking Devon's door as they left.

* * *

Devon's head was pounding, and she moaned softly as she lifted her head. There wasn't much light in the room, but she could make out the remnants of some old, dusty furniture, a rusty wood-burning stove, and a boarded-up window near the door, which was closed. She soon discovered, as she tried to move, that she was tied very securely to an old desk chair, the vinyl upholstery cracked and the stuffing protruding from some of the larger holes. Her arms and legs were bound to the metal arms and legs of the chair, and a gag kept her from making more than a muffled sound of angry frustration.

"Oh, you're awake." Gordon Walker stepped into her line of vision, a shotgun slung carelessly over his shoulder. "Good." He came closer, pulling the gag down, and Devon glared at him. "Easy. Just thought you might want to wet your whistle." Her jaw ached, and she opened her mouth gingerly, wincing with pain at the effort. Walker grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby broken-down end table, unscrewing the cap and holding it carefully to her lips. She drank, angry at herself for accepting anything from him, but she knew she needed it. She just had to bide her time until the Winchesters tracked her - or him - down, and then...

She glared hotly at him as he replaced the gag in her mouth, struggling against the ropes that held her captive. Gordon watched her, smiling indulgently. "You're not getting loose, Devon. So save your strength." He didn't even give her the satisfaction of acknowledging the daggers in her eyes as he turned and walked away, leaving her to struggle rebelliously.

What did this lunatic want with Sam? She tried to quiet herself, realizing the futility of fighting at the moment, focusing on the problem at hand. Why was he after him? She could see Dean pissing someone off to the point of them wanting revenge, but Sam? Especially to go to these lengths?

"You look confused, Devon. Let me just explain." Walker pulled a rickety chair up in front of her, seating himself with the shotgun laying across his lap. She glared at him, but he continued, either oblivious or uncaring about the fact that she didn't want to hear his explanations. "You see, Sam Winchester is the Antichrist." Devon blinked, shocked at his words. Walker held up a hand, then continued. "Let me continue." Devon rolled her eyes and shook her head - as if she could stop him. "He was infected with demon blood as a child. He's been cursed from that day on, kind of beyond his control, but he's evil. He was chosen to lead Hell's army, Devon. And I have been chosen to stop him. Long story short, that's why I need you to tell me where he is. His life has to end, in order to save thousands, millions of lives. I'm doing the right thing. Unfortunately, sometimes I have to use methods that aren't exactly... well, legal. Or moral, in some folks' eyes. But this is my mission, and I will carry it out, successfully, or die trying. Do you doubt me?"

Devon stared back at him, wanting the gag removed for the sole reason of telling him how crazy he was. Sam's blood had been cleansed by the hoodoo woman, Mama Lesage, almost two years ago. But Devon doubted that information would matter much to this man, whose eyes glowed with a fanatical, self-righteous light. She finally pulled her gaze from his, and he stood, pulling Devon's phone from his pocket. He smiled a little at her glance, shaking his head. "Oh, don't worry, Devon. I shut off the GPS. Can't have them tracking us down before I'm ready. I do think it's time to give Dean a call, though, don't you?"

Her eyes widened as he made the call, putting it on the speaker, and she held her breath as she waited to hear Dean on the other end. It rang several times, then Dean's voice echoed in the room. "Dev?" he asked quietly, and a sob was smothered by the gag in Devon's mouth as she heard him, tears stinging her eyes. "Whoever this is, I will find you. And she'd better be..."

"Dean Winchester. Gordon Walker here." Dean went silent, and Devon could almost feel the rage vibrating over the phone.

"You son of a bitch. Let me talk to her. Now."

Gordon laughed, low and chilling. "You are in no position to make demands, Dean. Just listen to my terms, and then we can talk."

"Oh, when I find you, Walker, there won't be any talking."

"Was that a threat, Dean? Because I could just hang up now."

"No. Damn it." They could hear him cursing under his breath, and then he was back. "What do you want, Gordon?" he asked through clenched teeth, and Walker smiled.

"Same thing I've always wanted, Dean. Sam. Your brother has to die. We both know it. If Devon had just given me his location, we wouldn't be in this little stand-off. But she's a lot like you, Dean. She just wouldn't give me the information I needed." Nothing but dead silence answered him, and he sighed. "All right. I understand this is your brother, and you need a little time to think about it, to adjust. But consider this, Dean. Devon is here with me, and I will kill her without a second thought if you don't turn that evil abomination over to me. You think on it overnight, and we'll talk again in the morning."

"If you hurt her," Dean started, but Walker interrupted once again.

"Don't threaten me, Dean. I warned you." With those words, he moved to jerk the gag from Devon's mouth. She began shouting, but he backhanded her harshly, then pulled the gag back in place, muffling the sobbing curses she was aiming at her attacker. "Now, see what you made me do, Dean? Don't make any more threats, or you'll listen to much worse. Do you understand me?" He waited in silence again for a moment. "Dean?"

Dean's voice was an icy growl as he uttered the single word. "Yeah."

"Good. I'll call in the morning. Be prepared to follow my instructions, or to say goodbye to Devon. Your choice." He ended the call, and Devon hung her head, a tear making its way slowly down her face.

* * *

Dean hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket, stalking across Nicole's living room as she and Sam stood a few feet away, watching. He stood still for a moment, his face working, then turned, throwing the first thing he laid his hands on, a lamp, across the room as Nicole watched with wide eyes. Sam came towards his brother slowly, attempting to calm him down. "Take it easy, Dean. What does he want?"

Dean stood there, his eyes closed, trying to control his breathing. Then he turned, slowly, to face Sam. "You. He wants you, Sammy. He wants you dead."

Sam's brows drew together in a frown. "He's still...?"

Dean was still pacing, chewing on the inside of his lip, fury darkening his green eyes as he interrupted. "Yeah."

Nicole finally dared to speak up. "Why the hell does he want to kill Sam?"

"The whole demon blood thing, Nic. He thinks I'm the Antichrist. He's crazy," Sam answered, his voice low and subdued. That nut job had Devon because of him.

"We should have ganked him in the first place, Sam. Instead of calling the cops on him. I should've shot him like I wanted to."

Sam dropped down to the couch, guilt and anger wrestling with his features. Nicole came to sit next to him, putting a hand on his knee. "Sam - we'll get her back. We will. This is not your fault."

None of them even attempted to go to bed that night. Dean mostly paced through the house, stopping every so often to spend long periods of time staring out into the darkness. Sam held Nicole close, wishing he could trade places with Devon, trying to reassure Nicole that her friend would be okay. It seemed like years before the eastern sky began to gradually lighten, pink and orange hues faintly washing the room with color.

Nicole stood wearily and trudged into the kitchen, and soon the tempting aroma of coffee wafted out to the men, followed by bacon. Dean stood, hands in pockets, unmoving in front of the window, and Sam rose to walk into the kitchen to join Nicole.

"Nic? You don't have to..."

"I want to. It keeps my mind off things. And you two will need your strength, so you're going to eat. Okay?" She looked sternly up at Sam, and a hint of a smile touched his lips.

"Okay." He moved to stand behind her as she tended the food on the stove, slipping his arms around her waist and bending to kiss the top of her head.

She tended the bacon, eggs and potatoes a little longer, then left Sam in charge and went out into the living room to find Dean. He was still standing at the window, putting his phone back into his pocket for the hundredth time. Nicole cleared her throat quietly, then approached him, putting a hand on his arm. "Dean. I made some breakfast. You need to eat. Please." He looked down at her, and the tortured look on his face made her catch her breath. She slipped her arms around him and spoke softly. "Dean, if anybody can fix this, you can. We can. You know that, right?"

Dean put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her, but his head snapped up and he reached for his gun as a knock sounded at the door. He motioned with his head, and Nicole nodded. She reached for the door, glancing back at Dean once more for reassurance, then opened it slowly just a crack. "Jack?" She opened the door further. "Can I help you?"

"Hey, Nicole. I'm sorry to bother you so early, but I wondered if Devon was here?" He glanced up just then to see Dean, his gun trained on him. His eyes traveled to the kitchen doorway, where Sam stood in a similar stance. "Nicole, are you okay?"

She took a deep breath. "Yes. I'm fine. Come in, Jack. We'll fill you in."

Dean tucked his gun away, almost reluctantly, and Sam did the same as Nicole led Jack towards the kitchen. "What's going on? Where's Devon? She's not answering her phone or her door. I just got kinda worried. She hasn't been herself the last couple of days." Dean glared after him, then folded his arms and took up his former stance by the window.

Nicole gestured to a chair, and Jack sat down, taking the cup of coffee she handed to him. "Jack, Devon's been taken. By a crazy hunter named Gordon Walker."

"What!" The big man started to stand, but Sam spoke quietly.

"Just wait. She's leverage, he's not gonna hurt her. He'll be calling us this morning with his demands. We're in a holding pattern here until then."

"What the hell does he want? I don't get it, why would he..."

"He wants to kill me." Sam stared at the floor, and Nicole slid her arms around his waist.

"But why?"

"Long story. We've got history. And, like Nicole said, he's crazy."

"Damn it. I should have been with her." Jack ran his hands through his russet hair, jaw clenched.

"Consider yourself lucky. You'd be dead." Jack turned to look at Dean, who stood leaning in the doorway, arms folded.

Jack's expression darkened. "What makes you say that?"

"Gordon Walker is the perfect hunter. No emotion, no conscience, just kill or do whatever it takes to get to the objective. You would have been in his way."

"I could have protected her!"

"No. You would have been distracted by her, and you'd be dead."

Jack stood up, and Dean straightened to his full height as the men glared at each other. "Just because my name isn't Winchester doesn't mean I can't hold my own in a fight," Jack retorted, and Dean's eyes narrowed as he took a step forward.

"Dean! Knock it off!" Sam's voice rang out in the room, and both men visibly backed down a little from their confrontation. "You two tearing each other apart is exactly what we don't need right now. Okay? Besides, maybe we could use an extra hand. Walker won't be expecting anyone but us."

Dean pulled his gaze from Jack, shooting an angry glance toward Sam before turning and leaving the room. Nicole looked up at Sam, then pulled gently from his arms and followed. She stood silently next to him for a few seconds before speaking quietly. "He's just worried about her. You should give him a break, Dean. He's in love with Devon. So you should understand how he's feelin', honey." She reached down to squeeze his hand before returning to the kitchen, leaving Dean staring out the window, absently chewing on his lip.

* * *

Devon woke stiff and sore, her body a mass of aches and bruises. She stretched slowly, and was reminded quickly of the cause for her discomfort.

Walker had finally, after the phone call to Dean, set her free from the chair, even taking her to the bathroom, although he stood over her with his shotgun the whole time. Then he had let her lie down on the dusty old couch, not too far from where he had started a fire in the wood-burner. He had zip-tied her hands behind her back, and had put another around her ankles, but at least she had been able to fall asleep.

She could hear the fire crackling in the stove, and feel its warmth, and a faint smell of woodsmoke invaded the room. It was raining, and lightning occasionally brightened the room through the grimy shades over the windows and the cracks in the boards covering the one closest to her. The thunder was distant and almost soothing, and she was drifting into sleep again when she heard Walker speak.

"Dean. I trust you had time to consider how limited your options are." Devon strained to hear Dean's voice, but her captor hadn't used the speaker phone this time, and tears stung her eyes at the sense of loss. She wanted to hear him, let the sound of his voice wash over her, know that he cared about what happened to her. She had been so stupid and now it might be too late. Her thoughts came to a halt as Walker spoke again. "Good. Silence is good. Now, let me tell you what I want from you. There's a little bridge just northwest of town, right before the Highway 140/139 junction. You bring Sam to me. I'll bring Devon. We'll each send the other across the bridge. Then we'll each go our own way, and do what we have to do." There was silence on Walker's end for a moment, and Devon desperately wished she could hear what Dean was saying. "We've had the talk about threats, Dean, but I understand how you feel about your brother. I fully expect that you'll come after me when I've killed him. But I'll die knowing that I did what needed to be done for the greater good. Or - maybe I'll kill you instead. We'll just have to wait and see how that plays out. In an hour I'll be on the west end of that bridge, Dean. You be on the east end with Sam. Let's end this chapter, once and for all."

Walker turned to look at Devon, shoving her phone back into his pocket. "We'll be going for a little drive soon. Then this will all be over for you. And for Sam Winchester."


	4. Chapter 4

Light rain fell relentlessly as Dean stood, his arms folded across his chest, at the east end of the bridge. An occasional flash of lightning brightened the day, but only temporarily. Sam stood nearby, his hands in his pockets, tossing his rapidly dampening hair from his eyes once in a while, and shooting a sideways glance towards his brother every so often. Dean stood there, stoic, the rain caught in his hair and lashes, and running down his face in small rivulets.

"Are we sure we're in the right place, Dean?" Sam asked quietly, and received a nod in answer.

There were a few seconds of silence between them, and then Dean spoke softly. "Make sure you..." Dean started, but Sam stopped him.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of her." Sam looked up as a red El Camino pulled in near the west side of the bridge, then came to stand beside Dean. The Winchester brothers, shoulder to shoulder, an intimidating sight to any normal man - but Gordon Walker was far from normal.

"Hello, Dean. Sam. I'm glad you showed up. Now we can end this and move on." Gordon walked to the passenger side of the car, opening the door and pulling Devon out, her arms still bound behind her. "Everybody just move nice and slow, and nobody will get hurt. Except those that have to. All right?" He walked Devon to the end of the bridge, his gun to her head, as he spoke loudly enough for his words to carry across the distance between them and the Winchesters.

"Please - don't do this," Devon said quietly to Walker as he pulled her towards the bridge.

"I'm doing what I have to, Devon. I'm saving you, too, you know - whether you know it or not," Gordon answered, stopping at the west end of the bridge. "Sam, you walk over here, and Devon will walk to Dean. And don't try anything - I will shoot her. You know me."

"Are we gonna talk all day, or are we gonna do this?" Dean yelled sarcastically, and Gordon shoved Devon onto the bridge, holding his pistol on her as she took the first reluctant steps towards the other side of the bridge. Sam glanced one last time at Dean before moving forward, his hands held out to his sides.

They walked slowly, Devon limping slightly, keeping her eyes on Sam's face. As they drew closer, he stared intently at her, then flicked his eyes to the side. Her eyes widened a little, but she showed no reaction, moving slowly closer to the point where they would pass each other.

As Devon and Sam moved side by side, a shout rang out. "Walker!" Gordon's attention moved for a split second to Jack Monroe, who stepped out from under the bridge, his gun aimed at Walker's chest. Sam grabbed Devon, and with two quick steps, took them both up and over the bridge rail into the shallow waters of Willow Creek below. Gordon fired, but Jack's diversion had given them just enough time to dive off of the structure. Jack answered Gordon's fire, missing as the enraged man hit the ground, then rolled back to his feet, cursing loudly. Dean fired off several quick rounds, then sprinted onto the bridge as Walker scrambled for his car.

"Gordon!" Dean bellowed as he ran, his lip curled in rage, firing off a couple more shots as he ran towards the west end of the bridge. Jack was at the top now, he and Gordon aiming at each other as Walker backed slowly to his El Camino, hand reaching for the door handle.

"Hold it right there, asshole!" Nicole stood off to Walker's other side now, her rifle on her shoulder. "Drop the gun. Now!" Her green eyes were cold as he met her merciless stare.

"Okay, okay. Take it easy, girl," he said, his voice quiet, soothing. "Let's not do something we'll all regret here, okay? Just take it easy."

"You heard her, drop the gun, Gordon." Dean was on the road now, and stalking determinedly towards him. Gordon slowly lowered the gun to his side, and Dean trained his Colt right between Walker's eyes. "Drop it. To the ground. Nicole, go check on Sam and Devon." She nodded, leaving Gordon in their gun sights, turning to run back down to the creek, where Sam was helping Devon out of the water.

Gordon bent slowly towards the ground, his eyes on Dean. Then his arm snapped upwards, a shot echoed in the air, and Jack hit the ground. Dean took a dive, firing as Gordon's arm came around to shoot at him, but Walker managed to get inside his car. Dean fired from the ground as the El Camino sent a spray of mud and grass from its spinning tires, then fishtailed a little as it hit the pavement and sped away.

"Jack!" Devon's voice was frightened as she ran up, hitting her knees next to Jack. "Jack, can you hear me?" she choked out, looking up at Nicole as she ran to her side. "Nicole, he's bleeding so much," she whispered, her hands on the big man's chest, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

"Sam, you okay?" Dean asked, waiting only for his brother's quick nod. "I'll get the car. Help them."

Sam quickly pulled off his outer shirt, balling it up and handing it to Devon. "Keep the pressure on it, we'll look at it closer when we get him to Nicole's." She held the wet shirt over Jack's wound and pushed as hard as she could, worried at his lack of response. As Dean came lurching to a stop nearby, she stood up, bending to keep the pressure on, while Sam and Dean hefted the big man up between them. Finally a moan escaped Jack's lips as they moved him towards the car, and Devon breathed a little easier.

Nicole scooted into the middle of the front seat between the Winchesters as Devon kept watch over Jack in the back. He made a sad attempt at a smile, his face white, whispering, "I'll be fine."

"You'd better be. What the hell are you doing here, anyway? Damn it, Jack."

"Couldn't let that asshole win, could we? Had to do something he didn't expect."

Jack's voice was labored, and Devon shook her head. "Stop talking. Just rest, we'll be at Nicole's soon." She glanced up, meeting Dean's eyes and holding his intense gaze for a moment before he looked back at the road.

"You okay, Dev?"

She nodded. "I'm okay."

"Sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

He glanced back at her again, then resolutely stared at the road, his jaw working, and Nicole exchanged a somber look with Sam before letting his arm pull her close.

* * *

After getting Jack onto the bed in Nicole's guest room, Sam gently took Devon's shoulders and moved her away from the injured man. "Let me take care of this, okay? You go let Dean look you over." She looked up at him, reluctant, but he gave her a stern nod and said, "Devon. Go. Nicole will help me." Nicole gave her friend a quick wink and fleeting smile as she nodded towards the hall, and Devon slowly walked out to meet Dean, who was standing there waiting.

His hand rested lightly on the small of her back as he ushered her to the couch. She sat down, and Dean knelt on one knee in front of her, his hand under her chin as he tilted her head gently. "Looks like he busted you a good one." He stroked his thumb softly over the darkening bruise on Devon's jaw line. She nodded, not quite meeting his eyes, and he moved to touch her split and swollen lip. "Do you want some ice?" He looked at her until she finally raised her gaze to meet his, her hazel eyes shimmering with tears. "Come here," he whispered, and she let him gather her into his arms, holding her tight as her body shook with silent sobs. "Shhhh... Baby, it's okay," he murmured as her arms came around him, clutching him almost desperately. "I gotcha."

He was still holding her, though she had finally calmed down, when Nicole came out of the bedroom. "He's gonna be fine. Sam said it went straight through, we just had to clean him up. Sam's stitching right now. He'll be plenty sore, I imagine, but he'll be fine."

Devon looked up, pulling back from Dean a little to look at Nicole. "Thank God. If he would've died, on account of me..."

"Then it would have been on Walker's head, not yours. This was not your fault, Devon." Nicole stood staring at her friend intently until Devon finally nodded. She shivered in Dean's arms, and he drew back from her, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face.

"You should go take a hot shower, get some dry clothes on."

Devon sat up, looking up at him. "You look like you went in the creek, too."

"Yeah, next time somebody gets kidnapped, we should try for a sunny day." The corner of his mouth quirked into a half-smile, and he stood, offering his hand to help her up.

She looked up at him, squeezing his hand slightly as she spoke softly. "Thank you." Dean half-reached to touch her face again, but dropped his hand and nodded, then gestured towards Nicole.

"Go. Get cleaned up, I'll go to your place and grab some of your clothes." Devon let go of his hand and followed Nicole, throwing one more glance at him over her shoulder as she left. Dean ran his hand over his face and slowly blew out the breath he'd been holding, then pulled the keys from his pocket and headed for the door.

* * *

Dean slipped Devon's lock easily, walked in and closed it behind him, and headed for the shower, his bag over his shoulder. Might as well use it while he was here. He cleaned up, then rifled through Devon's drawers, grabbing what she needed, stopping his search when he opened a drawer containing items familiar to him.

There were a couple of his shirts, folded neatly, and even a pair of his boxers, a set of lock picks, his old pocket knife... several relatively unimportant things he had left the night he stormed out of her apartment - and her life. And she had kept all of it. He swallowed hard, running a hand through his tousled and still-damp hair, then pushed the drawer closed.

He quickly found the rest of the things Devon needed, then stood and left the apartment, heading back to Nicole's. Guilt was eating at him, and as usual, he was trying to ignore it. Why did she keep all that stuff? She had told him to leave and never come back. And he had taken her at her word, determined to make her come to him. She hadn't, and his pride hadn't let him go back. He sat in the car in Nicole's driveway, completely unsure of himself, reluctant to face her again.

He finally grabbed the bundle of her things and walked in, finding Sam and Nicole quietly talking in the living room. "How's he doing?"  
Sam nodded, shrugging a little. "He'll be okay. He'll feel it for a while, but he'll be okay."

Dean nodded in answer, holding out the bundle of clothes towards Nicole. "She's in with Jack," Nicole said. "You could go in, see for yourself how he's doing. He might appreciate it, Dean." She smiled, and Dean tucked the bundle under his arm and walked down the hall.

Devon was sitting on the side of the bed next to Jack's good side, dressed in one of Nicole's robes, talking quietly to Jack. Dean stood there uncomfortably, unwilling to interrupt, and watched as Jack answered her, his voice low and weak. He reached a hand to Devon's face, his eyes focused on her, then slipped the hand behind her neck and pulled her down, his lips touching hers. Dean backed away, leaving silently, and headed back to the living room.

He walked to Nicole, handing her Devon's clothes, then turning and leaving the house without a word. Nicole looked at Sam in confusion as they heard the Impala's engine start, then leave the drive. She went to the window and watched as it went around the corner and out of sight. "What just happened?" she asked, and Sam raised an eyebrow, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.

"Not a clue."


	5. Chapter 5

Devon poured coffee automatically, smiling without feeling it. Ketchup for one table, check for another, slice of cheesecake for the construction worker near the door. She was in the kitchen, leaning on the island, staring ahead numbly, when Nicole's hand touched her arm, her green eyes worried. "Honey, are you okay?" Devon smiled slightly, then shrugged.

"I don't honestly know, Nicole." She felt tears sting behind her eyelids, and was instantly frustrated with herself.

"Why don't you take off. Hazel and I can handle this, you go home, get some rest. Devon, I'm worried about you." Nicole's soft southern voice was like a balm to her, and she let it wash over her, calming her.

"I'll be okay. You've been great, I don't know what I'd do without you right now." Devon's eyes finally overflowed as she looked up, and Nicole hugged her tight.

"You go home. Crash for a while, and I'll be over right after closing, we'll have a long talk and you can bare your soul to me. Okay?" Devon took a backhanded swipe at a tear and nodded, trying her best to smile. "And if that doesn't work, we'll find some movie with a lot of man candy in it and whip ourselves into a frenzy. All right?" This time Devon smiled for real, nodding, and untied her apron. "Go out the back, then you won't have old Charlie out there wondering why you've been cryin'. The old fart's got enough of a crush on you already!"

Devon walked into her silent apartment, taking a deep breath and enjoying the dim light, the peace and quiet. She changed into a pair of pajama pants and a tank top, made herself a hot cup of tea, and tucked herself into the corner of the couch.

She laid her head back, closing her eyes, letting her thoughts wander back to the day at the bridge. The fear, the look on Sam's face as they came close to each other, the speed slowed down now, in her mind. Sam had grabbed her, pulling her off her feet and jumping over the side, then rolling, positioning himself to land first, to cushion the blow to her when they hit the shallow water. The chill of the water and the impact had knocked her breath from her lungs for a couple of seconds, but at least they had been safe from Walker's gun. She remembered the terror of hearing the gunshots, and running up the bank, her eyes frantically seeking Nicole and Dean, reassuring herself that they were all right. But then she had seen Jack lying there, and the guilt she had felt as she ran towards him...

And later, at Nicole's house, the gentle way Dean had touched her face, looked into her eyes, held her in his arms; it had felt like...sanctuary, warm and safe, familiar. For the first time since she had told him to leave, she had felt - right.

He had sent her in to take a shower while he went to fetch some things from her place, and somehow... Her eyes opened again and she stared at the ceiling. She had come out of the bedroom where Jack was finally drifting off to sleep, and Nicole had handed her a bundle of clothes. "Where's Dean?" she had asked, and had been told that he had dropped off her things and left.

"Something must have come up, Devon," Nicole had said, glancing at Sam, and she had gone to Nicole's room to change. That warm, so-right feeling was gone, and the off-track, out-of-kilter feeling was back, that sinking, sick feeling in her gut. She had gotten dressed, let Nicole fuss over her, eaten something because her worried friend had insisted. Watched as Sam covertly tried to reach his brother, smiling occasionally at her, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he walked by. It had been a couple of hours before the rumble of Baby's engine sounded in the driveway, but Devon's peace was gone. She knew, before he came in and told them, that he and Sam would be leaving. She had been standing in the kitchen with Nicole when Sam had come in, and the expression on his face had been enough to send her from the room, to give them some space.

Dean had been pacing slowly in the living room, and she had been able to read the itch, the urge to be on the road, in him before he had even looked up to see her. "A job?" she had asked softly, and he had nodded, once again uncomfortable in her presence.

But before they had left, he had taken hold of her hand, looked at her with concern and asked, "Are you sure you're okay, Dev?" She had nodded, and he had smiled - well, kind of. "Jack'll be okay." She had nodded slowly. "Make sure you call me or Sam if you see or hear anything about Gordon, okay?" Then she had seen him struggle, for just a moment, with some emotion, and he had looked into her eyes, whispering, "Take care, Dev," before giving her the lightest brush of his lips across hers, and turning to go out the door.

She dropped her fingers from her lips as Nicole's knock sounded on the door. She called out, "Coming!" as she unfolded herself from the couch, peeking through the peephole and then unlocking the door.

Nicole held up a bottle of wine and a box containing two huge slices of Hazel's cheesecake. "Cure for what ails you right here, girl!"

Devon smiled wanly. "Looks great. Come on in."

"Just talked to Sam. They're in Homestead, Indiana. Not sure what they're up against yet, but Sam thinks it might be a spirit thing."

Devon just nodded, taking the wine and box from Nicole and heading for the kitchen. Nicole followed her, watching, arms folded, as Devon pulled wine glasses from the cupboard. They each took a glass of wine into the living room, and Nicole sat in the overstuffed chair near the couch as Devon curled her legs beneath her, taking a sip of the muscato. "So, how's Jack doin'?" Nicole asked softly, and Devon stared at the floor.

"I haven't talked to him. Not since he left your place," Devon said, and Nicole's brows drew together in a confused frown.

"All right, sphinx girl. Spill it. What the hell's goin' on? You've hardly said two words since this whole Gordon Walker thing, and I'm sick and tired of watching you walk around in a fog all the time. Talk to me, Devon. Come on, you can't go on like this."

Devon took a sip of her wine, letting it warm her from the inside. Then she took a deep breath, finally looked Nicole in the eye, and spoke. "Jack and I are done."

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Since when?"

"Since that day. I told him I just couldn't...that I still had feelings for Dean. And I couldn't pretend any more. And that he deserved to be treated better than that. He was lying on that bed, just been shot - because of me, mind you - and he was just... He was so sweet, Nicole, I treated him so bad, and he was so sweet. He just pulled me down and gave me a kiss, and told me that he was always there for me, no matter what. And if I needed him, to call. And that's the last time I talked to him, other than 'take care' or whatever when he left your place the next day."

"Okay. That explains that, and I have to say, girl, that it's about time. You've never been over Dean. So what happened? You two seemed - I don't know - like you were connecting again."

"I don't know, Nicole. I thought we'd talk more, you know, when he got back. And then he just took off, and I have no idea what happened. Except that he must have gotten me through the big crisis and decided it was time to bail again. Keep himself from getting tied up with me again. If you figure it out, let me know, because I don't know." Devon's eyes were brimming with tears, and she took a large gulp of her wine.

"What did he say to you when he got back?"

Devon's face was blank. "I never saw him. The only reason I knew he came back was that you had my clothes."

"Darlin', I told him you were in Jack's room. He never even talked to you?"

"He didn't..." Devon started, then stopped, her eyes closing. "He probably walked in on my little talk with Jack. Maybe he heard me say I still had feelings for him. Maybe I scared him off." Her voice was so quiet that Nicole had to lean forward to hear her.

"Bullshit!" Devon looked up in surprise at her friend's outburst. "I swear, you two! If one of you isn't being stubborn and stupid, the other one is!" Devon blinked, speechless as Nicole continued, marching up and down the length of the room as she ranted. "I am so tired of it, from both of you! I have put up with this for almost two years now, because neither one of you can deal with your crap! God forbid you should actually talk to each other! My God, Devon!" She stopped, turning to face Devon. "I know what happened. Dean went back there to talk to you, and saw you all cozy and whispering with Jack, probably saw him kiss you, and high-tailed it out of there like a scalded cat. That's what happened. And you're both too afraid to confront each other and deal with things."

"Nicole..."

"You crawl into your shell, and take people's heads off if they try to help, and Dean - well, he fights and runs, and unfortunately, he drags Sam along. Well, I'm done. If they're not comin' home, then we're goin' to Indiana! Pack a bag, girl, and I'll call Hazel and Sam." Devon was staring at Nicole, her mouth open, and Nicole put her hands on her hips. "I'm not kiddin', Devon. Get packed." Then she turned, pulling her phone from her pocket. "Hazel? This is Nicole. Devon and I are going to be gone for a few days..."

* * *

They stopped in Des Moines, Iowa, for the night, almost four hours of near-silence between them. Devon started once with, "But Nicole, what if Dean..."

"If Dean has a problem with this, he can take it up with me. You two are going to settle this, once and for all," Nicole cut in, her eyes determinedly fixed on the road. Then she turned the radio up a little louder, and Devon sat back and watched the road disappear under their wheels. There was a little small talk here and there, but mostly they rode with just the music as a buffer between them.

As they laid in their beds at the motel, Nicole finally spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Devon. I know I haven't been too pleasant tonight. But you and Dean have just pushed me to my limits. You are meant for each other, and the only ones who can't see that are you two."

Devon laughed shortly. "You sound pretty sure of that."

"Do you remember what Mama Lesage said to Dean?"

"That he had found his heart. I remember."

"That's right. And that you had found yours in him. You doubting the word of the hoodoo woman, girl? She's blind, but she could see farther than either of the two of you. You should trust what she said. She's a wise woman. And besides, I say so, too - and you should damn well trust your best friend!" Nicole laughed softly. "When have I ever gotten you into trouble?"

Now Devon's laugh was sincere. "Oh, never."

"Well, nothing major. And look at all the trouble I've been in since I hooked up with your sorry butt, girl! But the benefits have far outweighed the rest!"

"You are so gone over Sammy, aren't you?" Devon teased, and giggled as Nicole sighed.

"Oh, you have no idea. I could just eat him up." She made a little growling noise, and they both giggled. "And you could do the same to Dean, admit it."

"It's been a long time." Nicole stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue. "I've never felt the way I do with Dean. Not with anyone."

Nicole raised up on one elbow, looking across the space between them. "Then fight for him, Devon." She leveled her gaze at Devon, who finally nodded. "About damn time. Now, get some sleep, honey. We've got another eight hours to drive tomorrow."

"Good night, Nicole. And thanks."

"What're friends for, if not to kick your ass once in a while, right?"

Devon smiled. "Right."

* * *

Dean was talking as he opened the door to their motel room, then pulled his gun smoothly from the back of his jeans, holding it for a second on the girls before dropping it to his side and cursing under his breath. "Really, Sammy?"

Sam shrugged as he entered the room. "Nicole asked where we were. It's not a state secret, is it?"

"Don't be a smartass! We're on a case, we don't need..."

"Dean, shut your pie-hole." Nicole stood defiantly, hands on hips, glaring up into Dean's frowning face. "Devon had no choice, I shanghaied her. You two are going to spend some time ironing out whatever is or has been or will be going on with you. Sam and I are done running interference. Right, Sam?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah. So let's go get our own room." He grabbed his bag, putting an arm around Nicole's shoulders as she went to him.

"Sammy..." Dean's voice held a threat, but he was ignored as the other couple left the room, closing the door in their wake. "Great."

"Wow. The prospect of spending time with me is that appealing, huh?" Devon spoke quietly as she looked at him from her perch on one of the small chairs near the table.

Dean grabbed two long necks from the mini fridge and sighed as he unscrewed the top and handed her one of the icy brews. He opened his, tossing the lids into the trash, as he spoke. "I didn't say... I mean, it's not that... We're in the middle of..." Devon took a drink, looking at him silently as he floundered. He took a long pull from the bottle, swallowed hard, and said softly, "So did Jack come with you, too?"

Now it was Devon's turn to sigh. "Really, Dean?"

He gave a sarcastic little laugh as he sat down across the table from her. "Looked pretty cozy the last time I saw you together."

Devon's temper flared, but she kept a lid on it, the sparks in her hazel eyes the only clue as she spoke softly. "You don't even know what was going on, Dean. And you didn't bother asking."

"Seemed pretty intimate to me, your little conversation, especially the kissing. Pretty self-explanatory, don't you think?" His voice was bitter, and he still refused to meet her eyes.

"He was telling me goodbye. Actually, I was telling him." She felt a little satisfaction as he finally looked up, confusion in his green eyes.

"You thought he was dying?"

"No." Now it was Devon's turn to look away, and she stood up, walking to the window and lifting the corner of the curtain to peer out into the parking lot. "I told him I couldn't see him any more. Because it wasn't fair to him. Because I still have feelings for you." She stayed at the window, angry at her lack of control as tears filled her eyes. She fought the urge to head for the door at Dean's shocked silence, forcing herself to stand there, to wait for some response.

When he spoke again, his voice, soft and low, came from directly behind her, and she felt goosebumps wash over her skin. "I didn't know. I thought... I didn't know, Dev." His hands touched her shoulders and slid lightly down her arms. "What kind of feelings?"

Devon was unable to control the shiver that ran through her. "All of them."


	6. Chapter 6

Dean turned her gently to face him, and she unconsciously pressed herself against the wall near the window as he looked down at her. "Tell me..."

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me about the feelings you have for me. I want to know." He was standing so close that she could feel the warmth of his body, but he didn't touch her, even dropping his hands to his sides as he looked down at her.

She took a shaky breath, then looked him in the eye, a little defiance gleaming there. "Okay. You drive me crazy. You piss me off. You scare the hell out of me. You make me cry." She paused as her voice broke just a little. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she continued, "Sometimes I think I hate you a little. But I don't. And damn it, I tried. When you left, I tried so hard. But I love you, Dean."

Dean stared into her eyes for a moment, then lowered his head to kiss her, his lips soft against hers, his arms braced against the wall on either side of her. He kissed her breathless, then leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes closed. "I love you, too, Dev. And, God... I miss you."

He looked into her eyes, the air suddenly hot and heavy around them. "I'm right here," she whispered, and he straightened, looking down at her, reaching a hand to her face. He traced the line of her jaw, the curve of her cheekbone, then slipped his fingers beneath her hair and pulled her close, bending to kiss her again.

His fingers worked at the buttons of her shirt as they kissed, and he moved to slide it off her shoulders, but she pulled away, holding it closed, and Dean took a step back, confusion in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't..."

"No, not your fault. I'm just... you haven't really seen me since... The scars are so ugly..."

Dean pulled her into his arms and held her tight for a moment, then put his hand beneath her chin and tilted her face up until she looked into his eyes. "Come with me," he said softly, then took her hand, leading her to the bed. He guided her back against the pillows, then sat beside her, bending over her and capturing her lips, his tongue teasing at hers, until he felt her relax once again. Then he raised his head, kissing her gently between every few words as he spoke. "There is nothing ugly about you, baby. Trust me." He sat up, reaching for her shirt again, and she reluctantly let go, letting him pull it open. She turned her face away as he traced a finger down each scar, trailing from her shoulder to where they disappeared at the edge of her bra. Then he leaned in, kissing his way down the length of each mark that the injury had left on her skin, one hand's fingers laced with hers, the other caressing the soft skin of her belly and gliding up to cup her breast. He felt her inhale sharply, and smiled against her skin, running his tongue along the top edge of her bra, then looking up at her, feeling himself twitch at the heat in her eyes.

"There seems to be something in our way," he said, slipping his hand beneath her and undoing the clasp as she arched her back to allow him access. He pulled off her shirt and the bra, tossing them to the floor, kissing her hungrily, then making his way back down to her breasts, maddeningly, slowly, until he finally flicked his tongue over her nipple, causing her back to arch again. He sucked gently at her, still cupping the other breast in his hand, his thumb teasing at it until Devon was writhing beneath him, moaning out loud as she grasped his hair in both hands.

Dean watched her shudder as he sat up again, running his hands down her sides, reaching for the snap and zipper of her jeans. He pulled them down, bending to kiss her navel, then ran his fingers over her panties. She was grabbing handfuls of the sheets, and he shifted his weight, trying to relieve the pressure against his own zipper as he slid his fingers beneath the damp, silky material, sliding them against her. He growled low in his throat as her hips rose to meet him, and he slipped two fingers inside, groaning as he watched her throw her head back, fighting for control. She lost the battle as he expertly steered her to the edge, then leaned back down to nip at her breast gently, continuing his strokes as her body clenched tight around him and she cried out, trembling violently.

He moved his hand from her and finished undressing her, dropping little nibbling kisses along the way. He stood to quickly strip off his own clothing, watching Devon as she slowly calmed, then climbed up on the bed and lowered himself carefully over her, his weight on his elbows as he kissed her, his erection impatiently bucking at her entrance. Finally, impatient, she raised her hips, moaning as he slid home, throwing back his head at the feeling and thrusting himself in to the limit. Slowly, a little at a time, he allowed himself to move, keeping a tight rein on himself, wanting the feeling to last forever, and yet craving release. Devon moved with him, her legs wrapped tightly around him, her hands grasping at his shoulders. When she whimpered, her body pulsing around his length, he began to take long, hard strokes, and when she moaned his name, he could hold back no longer. "Oh, God..." he said in a rough whisper, slamming into her with everything he had. Devon came apart in his arms, and he shuddered as he came, holding her tight against his body, their skin slick with sweat.

They laid there for a time, neither of them able to move, regaining their breath and lying, completely exhausted, in each other's arms. After a few minutes, Dean slowly moved to his side, still holding Devon tight, unwilling to move away from her yet, and she snuggled up to him, sighing with contentment. "I missed you, too," she whispered, and Dean smiled as he hugged her tight and let himself doze off.

* * *

"Do you think she's all right, Sam?" Nicole asked, a worried frown on her face. Sam smiled, grabbing a brew for each of them from the paper bag they had just carried into their room.

"She'll be fine, Nic. He'll be fine. They're not leaving here until they get things squared between them, one way or another. I'm just as tired of it as you are." He handed the beer to Nicole, then put his arms around her. "I haven't heard any shots, or seen anybody get thrown out into the parking lot, so I'm sure they're okay."

She squeezed him tight, then stepped back to take a long drink, letting out a satisfied sigh as she lowered the bottle. "So. Any idea what we're gonna do while those two fight it out?"

A slow, one-sided smirk curved Sam's lips before he took a pull from his beer. "I've had a few thoughts."

Nicole arched an eyebrow at him. "Do tell."

"Well," Sam said, a thoughtful look on his face as he stepped closer to her, "I thought first of all that I'd run you a nice, hot bubble bath. And then I'd join you in it."

Her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at him. "Oh, Sammy, I like the way you think."

* * *

Hazel looked up briefly as the diner door opened, jingling the bell at the top. She finished pouring coffee for Charlie, assuring him that Nicole and Devon would be back on duty in a few days. "Don't worry, Charlie. Those girls can't go without seeing your smilin' face for too long." She patted his hand with a smile, then placed the pot in its home and wiped her work-worn hands on the towel that hung over her shoulder, heading for the table where the new customer had taken his seat.

"What can I get for you?" she asked, hands on her ample hips, her voice slightly gravelly from the years of smoking she had done, up until her cancer scare a couple of years back. The rather large black man perused the menu for a moment, then looked up at her.

"I'll have your pancakes, two eggs over easy, hash browns and wheat toast. And coffee." Hazel nodded.

"Comin' right up."

"Devon working today?"

Hazel turned to look at him, backhanding a wisp of grey hair from her face. "Nope. Took a few days off. You a friend of hers?"

Gordon Walker smiled. "An old friend. Know when she's coming back?"

Hazel headed for the kitchen. "They didn't say."

Gordon's smile faded as she went through the door. "Well, I guess we'll have to see what we can do about getting them back."

* * *

Nicole woke slightly, her eyes squinting against the light filtering through the cheap hotel curtains. She closed them again and turned her face away from the window, snuggling into Sam's arms, her leg thrown over his. He tightened his hold on her and she sighed happily, letting her mind drift back to the previous night. Sam had run her a bath, and she had laid back against his chest, the water hot and soothing, the bubbles slick against their skin. So relaxing, at least until his fingers had begun to play at her breasts, and his arousal began to swell behind her. Then things had gotten interesting, and she smiled thinking of the mess they had made in the bathroom, water everywhere. It had taken a while to clean up, but had definitely been worth it, riding Sam in that warm, heavenly tub, his large hands clutching her breasts to hold her in place as he thrust up into her. And when he had turned her to face him, kissed her until she couldn't breathe, and told her he loved her... Nicole sighed, thinking, "Yes. Totally worth it." She began to doze off contentedly, cuddling as close as she could get to Sam's warm body.

* * *

Her head was spinning, her vision blurred for a moment, and then she was standing in Hazel's Diner in Sioux Falls, at the center of the dining room, destruction and mayhem surrounding her. Broken dishes and chairs were everywhere, tables overturned, and... Oh, no, there was Charlie... His neck obviously broken, he lay sprawled over the top of the counter, still on his stool. An elderly couple in one booth had died holding hands, their heads close together on their table, blood still dripping onto the floor.

She shook with terror, but walked through to the kitchen, looking for Hazel. She was there, lying face down on the tile, a sticky dark pool beneath her, eyes wide and staring. Nicole took a deep breath, until she couldn't take in any more, and screamed, screamed until her throat was raw...

"Nicole! I'm here, baby, I'm here. Please snap out of it. I've got you, you're safe. I've got you, Nic." Sam was frantically looking into her face, his hands cradling her head, and her eyes finally snapped open wide. She gulped in air, then sobbed out loud as Sam pulled her into his arms. "Shhhhh, Nic, it's over. Try to calm down, baby. Calm down so you can tell me what you saw." He rubbed her back with one hand, cradling the back of her head with the other, murmuring soothing words and holding her until she slowly began to calm.

* * *

Dean sat upright, his eyes wide, the gun from the bedside table in his hand. The pounding on the door continued, Sam calling his name, and he shouted, "Hang on!" as he grabbed his jeans from the floor and answered the door, the gun still in his hand. "Damn it, Sam, what the hell?"

Sam pushed his way past, his eyes barely flickering over Devon, who sat on the bed, the sheets pulled up to her neck. "We have to go. Now. Nicole had a vision, the diner in Sioux Falls. It's bad, Dean."


	7. Chapter 7

Sam was speaking softly, but Devon heard every word.

"Sam? What... what kind of bad?" Her voice shook as she thought of the people there that she had grown very fond of over the past few years, and a wave of sick fear washed over her.

Sam looked at her, worry furrowing his brow, and shook his head. "Messy bad."

Devon climbed out of bed, clutching the sheet to her, searching for her clothes, panic on her face. Dean grabbed his brother's arm, ushering him out of the room. "Go, Sam, load up, we'll meet you at the cars." He closed the door and began throwing things into his duffle as Devon quickly dressed and followed suit. Then he tossed his bag to the floor, going to her and taking her duffle from her hand, pulling her into his arms as her face crumpled and she burst into tears. He held her close until she forced herself to stop, knowing there was no time to indulge her fear.

She pulled back gently, wiping her eyes. "We'll never make it in time, Dean," she whispered hoarsely.

Dean nodded, his lips pressed tightly together. "You're right. I'll call Bobby."

"He's not home," she protested. Dean had told her that Bobby had been out of town for weeks, helping out his only remaining family, a sister in Missouri who had lost her husband.

"He can call Sheriff Mills. He knows her better than we do." He dialed the phone and talked to Bobby, explaining the situation quickly, then hanging up and grabbing both their bags. "Let's go. He's calling her right now." Devon nodded, following him out the door.

They hurried out to the Impala, meeting Sam and Nicole outside their door. Nicole and Devon hugged each other tight as the men threw their belongings into the vehicles, and they wordlessly climbed in and headed down the road, the Impala in the lead.

Devon sat, gnawing on her lip, staring out the window at the slowly lightening sky as they sped down the highway. She felt Dean's hand on hers, and turned to look his way. "Come here, Dev," he said, and she slid over next to him, letting his arm surround her and pull her close. She laid her head against his chest, her hand on his thigh, and he hugged her tight as he kissed the top of her head. "Bobby said the Sheriff's going to head right over there. If anything can be done, she'll do it."

"Is it Walker?" Devon asked softly, feeling Dean's muscles tense up at the mention of the lunatic's name.

"That's my guess." Devon nodded, then slipped her arms around Dean's waist and left him to his thoughts.

* * *

"Why can't I tell, Sam? I never know if it's already happened, or if it's going to happen, if we can prevent it, or if there's nothing we can do. What's the point? It's not a gift, it's a damn curse! I understand now why my mama drank herself to death!" Nicole's voice wavered on the edge of tears again, and Sam spoke to her gently.

"Nicole, don't. Don't talk like that. I don't know why your visions work the way they do, but you have no control over it. Please, baby, calm down and come here." Sam held his arm up and Nicole sheltered herself beneath it.

"What if they're..."

"Nic." Sam's voice was soft, but firm. "You can't do this to yourself. When Dean called, he said the Sheriff was heading right over there. If there was anything she could do to prevent what you saw - she's done it."

"I know, but I should have been able to stop it. To save them..."

"If it's too late, if he already did what you saw in your vision... It's on me, not on you. He's trying to get to me through you, through Devon, through Dean. It's me he wants. So this is my fault, if it's anybody's. Okay?"

Nicole sat up straight, fire in her eyes. "This is not your fault. It's his fault. He's freaking crazy."

"Yeah. He is. And he doesn't care who he hurts to get to me. So he's gonna get me. But I'm gonna make damn sure he doesn't enjoy it." Sam's jaw was set, his voice grim as he spoke, and Nicole silently tucked herself back under his arm.

* * *

Dean maneuvered the Impala into a parking spot a short distance from the diner. The block surrounding the building was filled to capacity with ambulances and police units, including Jody Mills' Tahoe. Dean took Devon by the shoulders and looked into her fear-filled eyes, speaking softly but firmly. "Stay here. I'm gonna go talk to Jody." She climbed out of the car, but stayed put, closing the door and leaning back on it, her shaking hands pressed to her mouth.

Sam and Nicole pulled up next to them a couple of minutes later, and Nicole launched herself from the vehicle, heading towards the diner. Dean intercepted her on his way back to the Impala, holding her tight as she fought for a moment, then broke down entirely. Sam put a hand on Devon's shoulder, and she looked up at him, her face wet with tears, and turned to him, letting his arms envelop her. Sam raised his eyes to meet his brother's troubled gaze, then sighed as Dean shook his head once.

"We're gonna get him, Devon. Walker's gonna pay for this, I promise you," he said quietly, steel in his voice. Devon's shoulders shook with the force of her sorrow, and he tightened his hold on her as Dean slowly walked Nicole back towards them.

Later that day, they all sat together in Nicole's living room, the girls huddled together on the sofa, silently sharing their grief as Sam and Dean talked themselves in circles trying to plan some kind of strategy for dealing with Walker. When Dean's phone rang, he looked at Sam for a long moment before answering, then breathed a little easier as he heard Bobby's voice on the other end. "Yeah, Bobby, it wasn't good. I know." He looked up at Sam again, his eyes widening a little. "Bobby, we've kinda got our hands full here. I know, but... Right. Well, if we're going, the girls are coming with us. I'm not leaving them alone here with that nut job on the loose. No, if we're going, they're coming with. Or you can find someone else to deal with it. No, sir, I'm not, but that's the way it is. Yeah, we will. Yeah, Bobby... Take care of your sister, we got this. Yeah, I hope he does. Maybe we can take care of him at the same time." He hung up and gave Sam a rueful little smile. "Damn, that old man gets crotchety sometimes! There's a vamp problem in Albany. He wants us to take care of it, and he wasn't happy about the girls coming along. But I'm not leaving them again. No way in hell."

"I agree." Sam looked to the girls, who were watching them silently from the couch. "I think Walker will follow us, but I'm not taking the chance."

"That's what I told Bobby. Maybe we'll kill two monsters for the price of one." Dean turned and walked towards Devon and Nicole, taking a knee in front of Devon as he took her hand in his. "Are you two up for this? I really don't want to leave you here alone, not until we know Walker's out of the picture. For good."

Devon nodded. "Just let us throw a couple things together." She glanced at Nicole, who nodded slowly. She squeezed Nicole's hand, then let Dean draw her up into his arms as he stood back up.

"I know you can handle yourself, Dev - but..."

Devon tightened her arms around Dean. "No, it's okay. There are a lot of scary things out there, but that deranged psycho scares me more than any of them." She hesitated for a moment before continuing quietly, "I just hope you're able to handle him when he makes his move, Dean. If something would happen to you or Sam..."

She looked up as he backed away slightly, putting his hand to her face. "Sam and I are gonna be okay, I promise." She closed her eyes as he kissed her, losing herself in him, the softness of his lips, the taste of him, the brush of stubble against her skin, the gentleness of his calloused hands as they touched her. The thought of losing that again terrified her; the single-minded, cold-blooded way Gordon Walker was stalking Sam was scaring the hell out of her, and she wanted to burn this moment into her memory.

* * *

They got a room for the night in a small town in Ohio after almost eleven hours on the road. Sam and Nicole curled up together and almost immediately Devon heard him relax into soft, gentle snores. She smiled, snuggling under the blankets in one of Dean's worn-until-you-can-almost-see-through-it shirts, with a now-unreadable metal band logo on the front. She was just drifting off when the bed dipped behind her and Dean's warm, fresh-from-the-shower body curled up behind her. He nuzzled his nose into her neck and kissed her there, his hand gliding around to cup her breast as he took a nibble, sending goose bumps over her skin and tightening the nipple under his hand. "Mmmmm..." he moaned next to her ear, and she giggled softly.

"Dean. You're exhausted, I'm exhausted, and we have company, remember?" she whispered as he pressed himself closer to her, his arousal becoming very evident against her backside.

"The Impala is free," he whispered, sending another shiver through her as a loud clap of thunder reverberated through the room.

"It's raining."

"I like you wet," he said softly, taking another nibble at the soft skin below her ear as his fingers teased at her nipple, and she suppressed a moan.

"Not fair..." she whispered as he gave her another tweak, laughing softly as a small noise escaped her lips. "Okay! I surrender."

"That's my girl," he whispered, and threw the covers back. He climbed off the bed, clad only in his boxers, taking her hand to help her up, and stopping her as she took a step. "Wait." He bent closer, lifting the t-shirt up to hook his thumbs in her panties and pull them down, waiting for her to step out of them. "You won't need these."

Devon's legs felt weak as she followed him to the door. He reached for the card key he had left on the table, then opened the door quietly, leading her out and closing it behind them. He turned to pull her against him, bending to kiss her hard, one hand on her bottom, holding her tight against his erection. The awning provided some protection from the downpour, and she melted against him for a moment, giving in to him and pushing her inhibitions at standing outside with barely anything on to the back of her mind. The way he was kissing her and pressing himself into her, she was going to lose her mind soon, anyway.

He raised his head, the gleam in his eyes sending a shudder through her, and he took her hand again, pulling her out into the pouring rain. He stood there, watching the downpour soak through her shirt, plastering it to her body, water streaming from her hair, and she reached to smooth her hand over his chest, slick with rain. "I want to take you right out here, up against the car. Out here in the open, in the storm. I want you so bad, Dev," he said, his voice a soft growl.

Devon found herself trembling, from the chill of the rain, the sound of his voice, and she met his hungry gaze, unable to speak. Taking his hand, she backed away, pulling him with her, until she came up against the side of the Impala, gasping quietly at the feel of the cold metal through her wet shirt.

Without hesitation Dean reached behind her, his hands beneath her as he lifted her to the back fender. He lowered the front of his boxers to let himself spring free, then pulled her close and drove himself home, and she cried out softly at the impact. His kisses were fierce, low moans and grunts escaping from him as he devoured her lips, their tongues battling with each other. He gripped her hips as he thrust into her hard, and within seconds she was quaking as she came completely undone, managing to keep her voice to a loud moan, stifling the scream that lurked beneath the surface. A few seconds later, Dean shook with the power of his orgasm, and she gripped him tight with her legs, her arms, her fingers digging into his back as he buried his face in her neck. His legs were weak, and he leaned into her grasp as she kissed his neck, his face, the rain still pouring over them. He clamped his arms around her and hugged her so tightly that she let out a weak protest, pushing gently against his chest to give herself room to breathe. He lifted his head slowly, looking down at her for a long moment, then bent to kiss her, his lips gently caressing hers. When he finally looked up again, raising one hand to her cheek, the emotion on his face brought tears to her eyes. "I love you, Dev. And we're not losing each other again, you hear me?"

"No, we're not," she answered, leaning in to kiss him softly again. "I love you, Dean." They held each other for a few seconds more, jumping when a bright flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder happened almost simultaneously, sending a fresh deluge down upon them.

"Let's get inside, get you dried off. You look really edible this way, but I don't want you catching pneumonia," he said as he lifted her from the car, pulling out and adjusting his boxers as she pulled her shirt back down to cover herself. They moved quickly to the door, opening it quietly and slipping inside, going straight to the bathroom where they toweled each other off and dug through their bags for dry clothing. They crawled back into bed, Devon curling up in Dean's arms as they warmed themselves under the blankets, and they both jumped as Nicole's voice came quietly from the other bed.

"Y'all have a nice quickie out there?" she teased, and after a moment of stunned silence, Devon let out a quiet giggle.

"Yeah, it was awesome," Dean answered, grinning, and they laughed softly as Sam spoke quietly, his voice groggy.

"What'd I miss?"

"Never mind, Sammy," Nicole said soothingly, "I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, baby." And with that, Sam turned to his side, pulling Nicole into his arms, and they all crashed for the rest of the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Dean and Devon sneaked out of the room early the next morning, hungry and craving coffee. Devon shivered as she slid into the Impala, and Dean gave her a crooked smile as he draped an arm around her and pulled her close to him, his internal furnace radiating heat as usual. He kissed her softly as she slipped her arms around him, sighing contentedly. "Better?" he asked, and she smiled, nodding.

"Yes. You're always so warm."

"Are you telling me I'm hot?" He smirked down at her as she rolled her eyes, smiling.

"You're conceited." She snuggled in close again as he put the key in the ignition and started the Impala. "And yes."

They pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road towards the diner they had spotted on their way into town the night before. "We'll pick up some grub and coffee and head back - we should get back on the road."

"No, Dean - we should just get some breakfast there. Then we can order some take-out for Sam and Nicole."

"We need to get going. We've still got a ways to go to get to Albany."

"Dean," Devon argued, sitting up slightly, "we need to give them a little time. You know Nicole isn't going to leave that room without..."

Dean sighed, then a smiled teased at the corners of his mouth. "Fine. We'll eat ours there, give them some privacy. And when we get back, you can go in first."

"We'll call before we leave, and then we won't have to worry about it," Devon said, grinning. "I don't need to see any more of your brother than I already have."

Dean chuckled softly. "So I'm safe? You won't go chasing after my brother's booty?"

Devon shook her head again, slapping half-heartedly at his chest. "No. Your booty is enough for me."

They pulled into a parking spot outside the diner, and Dean put Baby in park before surrounding Devon with his arms. "How about the rest? You're not missing LumberJack, are you?" he teased, and Devon tried with no success to pull away.

"You're such a..." Before she could finish, Dean kissed her, pulling her over onto his lap and slipping his hand underneath her shirt to squeeze gently at her breast. He finally stopped, looking down at her with heat in his gaze, and Devon reached to touch his face gently. "You do know that it didn't mean anything... I mean, he was just convenient... I mean..." She looked down, biting at her lip for a moment. "You surely were with someone during that time? Weren't you?"

"A few times. One-nighters. Nobody that even made an impression, or that I can even remember their name." He was looking down, not meeting her eyes as she looked back up into his face. "It was always you, Dev."

"Me, too," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him again, a small whimper escaping her lips as she felt him hardening beneath her. His thumb brushed over her nipple, and she shuddered, pulling back from him. "We need to go in before someone else pulls up." He shot her a rueful smile and reluctantly removed his hand.

"I might need a minute," he said, and Devon grinned, sliding off his lap.

"I'll go get us a table."

* * *

Sam woke up with a gasp, and then relaxed as Nicole giggled softly. "Well, hello there, little Sammy," she said, and Sam bit his lip to control the moan that threatened to escape as he felt Nicole's tongue circle the tip of his now-exposed erection. He buried one hand in her silky blonde hair as she teased at him, then took him into her mouth as far as she could, and his hips raised a little of their own accord in spite of his attempt at control.

"God, Nic..." he whispered, then groaned loudly as Nicole moved her head slowly down, then sucked hard as she moved away, her hand grasping the bottom of his shaft. His hand fisted tightly in her hair as she continued, raking her nails gently down his thigh, and he rolled his head helplessly side to side, not caring any longer if he was quiet. She hummed softly, and he almost exploded into her mouth, but held back with everything he had. "Nic," he growled, pulling gently but firmly at her hair. When she raised her head, giving him one more languid lick, he grabbed her roughly, pulling her on top of him, attacking her lips with his own and turning to pin her beneath him.

He raised up to look at her, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Fair is fair, baby girl," he growled, and bent to bite at her neck, then move his way down her body, stopping to flick his tongue across a nipple until she whimpered. He moved on, stopping to nip at the inside of her thighs, then teasing her with his tongue, laughing softly as she writhed, longing for more.

"Sammy, please," she managed, letting out a little yelp as he plunged two fingers inside, his tongue still working its magic, and she bucked beneath him as she cried out with a flood of pleasure that made her body tremble all over. Sam took his time, finally raising up to kneel between her thighs, his hands running over the soft skin there. Nicole still floated in a half-coherent daze, unable to stop the small, appreciative noises she was making as he touched her. Then he gripped her by the hips, pulling her up to meet him, and he slid home, filling her completely and letting out a low growl as she cried out his name.

She wrapped her legs tightly around him as he took her hands, lifting her until she was sitting, impaled, on his lap. He buried his hand once again in her hair, devouring her lips as he crushed her to him with one arm, and she met each thrust as he drove into her savagely, his control completely gone. She cried out once more as she reached her peak, unable to hold herself upright any longer, letting his strength support her as he continued to pound relentlessly into her, coming with a violent shudder a few seconds later. He held her tight against his chest as they both struggled for breath, hearts pounding frantically, their skin slick with sweat as they clung to each other.

"Good morning, Sammy," Nicole whispered against his shoulder, and Sam smiled, tightening his arms around her.

"Good morning, Nic."

* * *

Devon balanced the carrier full of coffee cups in one hand and knocked hesitantly on the motel room door, unwilling to just walk in and risk interrupting... anything. She had called on their way back, but there had been no answer. To her relief, Sam pulled the door open, shirtless and still towelling his hair.

"Morning, sunshine," she said, grinning as Sam smirked a little. "I trust you had a nice wake up call. We brought breakfast."

"Everybody decent?" Dean called out as he walked in with the rest of Sam and Nicole's breakfast. Nicole walked out of the bathroom fully clothed, winking at him.

"We are now!" She walked towards the table. "That smells like heaven! I'm starved." She and Sam sat down at the table as Devon and Dean began packing up their belongings.

"We need to get moving soon. I'd like to be there and ready by nightfall, and we've got a few more hours driving time before Albany."

"No problem," Sam said around a mouthful of eggs, "we're pretty much ready to go. If you want to load our stuff, we can leave as soon as we finish."

Dean nodded, and he and Devon lugged the bags to the car, stowing them in the trunk. He slammed it shut, then turned and leaned against the car, pulling Devon into his arms. "I hope you're okay with staying put in the room tonight, Dev. I just don't want to risk it, not with Walker on our tail."

Devon nuzzled into his chest, inhaling the fresh, clean scent of him before she spoke softly. "I'm okay, as long as you two don't need the extra help. But if you do..."

Dean looked down at her, bending to kiss her gently. "If we do, you'll be the first call I make. But if Walker shows up, I don't want him to be able to use you or Nicole as leverage again."

Devon laid her head against his chest again, not quite managing to stop the shiver that ran through her. "I know."

Another eight hours, give or take, and they pulled into the outskirts of Albany, New York. Dean pulled up in front of a hotel, much nicer than their usual accommodations, and went inside, coming back out in a few minutes and pulling around the building to park next to a back entrance. "This place seems a little more secure than our usual," he said by way of explanation, then pulled the keys from the ignition. "Let's get you settled, then Sam and I will hit the club Bobby told us about."

They carried their belongings up a flight of stairs and down a couple of long hallways to an interior room. Dean wanted to make sure there was no easy access to the girls, even if Gordon knew which hotel they were using. "Keep the windows and curtains closed. Don't answer the door unless you know for sure it's Sam or me. Don't answer your phones unless you know it's one of us calling. The GPS is off in both, so you should be okay. You should be able to crash here and just wait for us to get back."

Dean turned to Devon. "You've got your gun?" She nodded, looking up at him. "Loaded?" She nodded again, and he put a hand to her face, bending to kiss her. "I'm not trying to scare you, Dev. I just want to make sure you're safe. Gordon is smart, and even if we take precautions, we can't guarantee anything. So I want you and Nicole to be prepared. And if he does show his ugly face around here - you shoot him. No hesitation."

"I know," she answered so quietly that he had to bend to hear her.

"We're both armed, and neither one of us is stupid. We'll be fine, Dean. You just make sure nothing happens to Sam," Nicole said, her voice catching a little in spite of her bravado.

"Come here, Short Round," he said, and hugged Nicole tight, then leaned over to kiss her on the forehead.

Sam did the same with Devon, giving her an extra squeeze before looking down at her, his hands on her shoulders. "I'll be okay, Devon. Gordon's gonna pay for what he did to you, and to those other people. He's going down. Okay?" Devon made a brave attempt at a smile, then hugged him hard before shoving him towards Nicole to say goodbye. Dean pulled her close again for a moment, and the guys headed for the door.

* * *

It was almost eleven o'clock when Sam burst through the door, his voice angry. "Nice move you pulled back there, Dean, running right at the weapons!"

"Well, what can I say? I'm a badass," Dean shot back,

Devon was on her feet in an instant, rushing towards Dean, her eyes flashing with angry fear. "Dean! What the hell did you do? What happened?"

He shot Sam a withering look, taking Devon by the arms and trying to calm her down. "I just created a diversion so Sam could get out of the line of fire..."

"By throwing yourself into it! Great plan, Dean!" Sam shouted, pulling away from Nicole's attempt to somewhat restrain him.

"Everybody shut up!" Dean shouted, and Sam stood glaring at him while Devon jerked away from him and stood, arms folded, staring angrily at the wall just over his right shoulder. "All right! Now, just listen!" He turned his back, taking a couple of steps back towards the door before turning back to face them all. "Gordon recruited some brainless dick, convinced him that Sam needs to die. We were chasing down the vamp, rounded a corner, and there they were. They drew on us, and all we could do was dive for cover. I did what I had to do to give Sam an opening to get away. They're after him, not me. They don't care about me, but... Sam had to get out of there. And I'm still alive, so get off my ass!"

He turned, reached for the door knob, and Devon stopped him. "What if he followed you here?"

"He didn't." Dean's voice still vibrated with anger, but he stood there for a moment, and Devon came up behind him.

"Please don't leave, Dean." His dropped his chin slowly, then let go of the door, turning back around and stepping around Devon to grab his bag, pulling a bottle of whiskey from its depths, and taking long, angry strides to the bathroom to retrieve a plastic-encased tumbler from beside the sink. He sat down at the table and tore the plastic off the glass, tossing it to the floor, and pouring the glass half full of the amber liquid. Sam rolled his eyes, turning away and dropping to the edge of the bed, and Nicole sat down next to him, speaking softly to him.

Devon sat across the table from Dean, reaching for his glass and taking a swallow before setting it back down in front of him. "Dean..." she started, but he shook his head, and she stopped, waiting for him to speak.

"Look, you don't get it, that's fine. But for my whole life, my job has been to keep my brother safe. Whatever that takes. So I did what I had to do. That's the way it is." His fingers were running up and down the ridges of the glass, his eyes focused on the table top in front of him, and Devon finally reached to touch his hand.

"Okay," she said quietly, running her fingers over his gently. He finally looked up, his jaw still tense, their eyes speaking volumes without another word.

"Come here," he said, and she went to him, sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder as he held her tight.


	9. Chapter 9

"Okay. In the alley? You're sure it was him? Yeah, thanks, man." Dean hung up from the call, looking at Sam. "That guy we talked to last night? The one with the missing girlfriend, that's been trying to follow our bloodsucker? He saw him go into a building late last night, about three blocks from the club. Once dragging what he said looked like a body, the next time alone. If we meet him at the club, he'll show us where."

Sam had gone out to pick up breakfast, and he and Dean had been sitting, heads together, at the table ever since. They had been debating how best to handle the situation, and the girls had tried their best to stay out of it, but it hadn't been easy.

"Walker's probably just waiting for you to show up again. All he has to do is find a good place to hide and pick you off. I can't believe you're thinking of going out there," Nicole said, keeping her voice quiet with some effort, but the edge of panic was still coming through loud and clear.

Sam looked steadily at the floor as he answered. "Nic, that monster is gonna keep turning girls until we stop him. The longer we wait... We can't let him do this."

Dean spoke softly to Nicole, but his eyes were locked on Devon's worried gaze. "We'll keep a sharp eye out. We know he's out there, no more surprises. We'll scout it out before we go, make sure there's nobody close enough to ambush us."

They were gone for a little over two hours, which seemed like days to Devon and Nicole as they waited, pacing, fidgeting, worrying. Devon's phone buzzed with a message, and she checked it, showing it to Nicole with a frown. "Vamp's dead. But we've got bigger problems. On our way back."

Nicole rolled her eyes and blew out a nervous breath. "Well, at least they're both coming back. That's something. I don't like this, Devon. At all."

Devon nodded. "I'm with you."

Shortly after that, they heard angry voices in the hall, stopping outside the door to their room. The lock disengaged, and they stormed in, arguing loudly once again. "You're staying here, Sammy. That's that. I'm not asking, I'm telling."

"You're not going after him alone!"

"Sam, he's already crazy, and now he's supercharged. You're not going!"

"The hell I'm not!"

"Hey!" Devon yelled at the top of her lungs, finally getting the attention of both angry men, their eyes now focused on her. "Stop yelling at each other and tell us what's going on! Please." Sam clenched his jaw, his lips pressed tightly together, shaking his head slightly as he turned away and Nicole walked into his arms.

Dean took the gun from his pocket, checked the safety, and placed it on the table a bit harder than necessary. "Gordon Walker is a vampire."

"What?" both girls said in unison, Nicole backing up to stare with big eyes at Sam, and Devon dropping down to sit on the edge of the bed, shock on her face.

"Remember I told you we were chasing that vamp when Gordon and his new pal started shooting? Well, I guess after we got away, it came back, cold-cocked Gordon and took him back to his place to feed his new recruits. Only thing is, Gordon mouthed off about killing vamps and pissed him off. So he turned him instead of feeding on him."

Sam's jaw was working as he glanced between Devon and Nicole, taking over from where Dean left off. "Trouble is, he didn't realize how crazy Walker was to begin with. He broke free, ripped the heads off the two girls that had been turned, and escaped. Deacon, or Dixon, or whatever the hell his name was didn't even fight us, wanted us to take his head. We have no idea where Gordon is, we just know he's vamped out, and insane, and Dean thinks he can take him all on his own." Sam swept his hand angrily in Dean's direction as he spoke, and the two brothers stood glaring at each other.

"I'll come with you," Devon said quietly, and Dean turned on her, his jaw working angrily.

"The hell you will."

"You can't go alone. So you have a choice. Me, or Sam." She stood up, looking into his face as she laid a hand on his arm. "You can't take him on alone, Dean. You'll get yourself killed. You need backup."

"He's one vamp, Dev. One."

"He's one psychotic vamp, with years of hunting skills and knowledge behind him. He was cold-blooded before he was turned. I can't imagine how much worse he is now."

"He ripped those girls' heads off with his bare hands," Sam said quietly. "That's how much worse he is now. And I'm not letting Devon put herself in harm's way for me. I'm going, Dean."

Dean opened his mouth to argue, but his phone rang just then, and he pulled it from his pocket with a quiet, "Son of a bitch." He took a breath, then answered curtly. "Yeah?" His eyes widened, and he looked at Sam, whose expression changed immediately. "Gordon. How's it feel to be a monster?"

"I'm getting used to it. It's okay, I won't live long. I just need to do one more thing before I kill myself, Dean. And that's kill your brother."

"That's not gonna happen."

"We'll see. I have someone here that wants to talk to you." Dean looked back at Sam as he heard a sobbing woman on the other end.

"Please... Please help me..."

"Let her go, Gordon. It's not her you want."

Frustrated anger contorted Dean's features as Walker answered. "If you don't show, I'll feed on her. Her death will be on your head. You're the hunter, you're the one who's supposed to save people. Save her. Oh, and Dean - bring Sam."

Devon watched Dean as he turned away, shoving his hand roughly through his hair, his voice a low, chilling growl. "I'm gonna kill you, Gordon. I'm gonna take your head off."

"After I kill your brother. Now shut up and listen. This is where you can find us. Hurry, Dean. I'm feeling hungry." Dean listened silently for a few more seconds, then hung up, barely resisting the urge to hurl his phone across the room. He turned, his eyes meeting Sam's, his face betraying his rage, and he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before he spoke.

"We stick together, Sammy. You stay with me, no splitting up, no John Wayne bullshit. Okay?"

Sam's face scrunched into a confused smirk. "John Wayne? What the..."

"Shut up. You know what I mean."

* * *

Devon looked at her phone for the millionth time, her stomach in knots. She was perched on the edge of a chair, glancing up to watch Nicole pacing nervously around the room. "They said two hours, right?" she asked softly, and Nicole nodded.

"Yeah. Two hours, and if we haven't heard from them we call the cops to get that girl out of there. And clean up the bodies." Nicole's voice broke, and Devon shook her head stubbornly.

"Don't talk like that. They're gonna be fine. They have to be."

Nicole turned to look at her, tears swimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Devon. I'm just scared. I'm so scared. If I..." She stopped in mid-sentence, and Devon rushed to her side as she slumped slowly to the floor, her face white as chalk.

"Nicole! Oh, God, now what..." she said as she dropped to her knees beside her friend, taking a firm hold of her hand. She had seen this several times now - Nicole was having a vision, and she knew there was nothing to be done but to be there for her when she came out of it. It only lasted a few seconds, and Nicole came to, gasping for air, panic on her pale face.

"Dean!" she cried out, and sat straight up, her eyes wide with fear.

"Nicole, what? What is it?" Devon's voice shook as she asked, terrified of the answer.

"Gordon... biting Dean... we have to go, Devon! We have to get to the warehouse! Come on!"

"We don't have a car! How..."

"We will have. Just get your gear, I'll meet you outside." Nicole jumped to her feet, grabbing a pistol from her bag and tucking it into the back waistband of her jeans before flinging open the door and rushing outside. Devon followed suit, arming herself with her gun and a machete before running out, pulling the door shut with a slam behind her.

Nicole had found a pickup two doors down with the doors unlocked, and she was hunkered over behind the steering wheel, her hands in a tangle of wires. "Get in," she said, and the truck fired to life as Devon climbed quickly inside, looking at her in surprise. "Don't look at me like that. Girl's gotta have a hobby," Nicole quipped, then threw the truck in gear and they took the curb with no problem, heading directly to the street and taking the corner fast as Devon read off directions from the GPS on her phone.

They pulled up behind the Impala about fifteen minutes later, bailing from the truck and heading for the door at a dead run, flashlight in hand. Devon grabbed Nicole's arm, stopping her before she opened it, speaking softly. "We don't know what's going on in there right now, so we have to take it easy until we see where they are and where Gordon is."

"And that girl," Nicole agreed. They exchanged a quick nod, then opened the door quietly and slipped inside.

It was dimly lit, enough that they could see once their eyes had adjusted, and Devon tucked the flashlight into her pocket, pulling out her gun. Nicole followed suit, and they scanned the room cautiously as they walked farther into the building.

They rounded a corner lined with shelves, and found themselves in Dean's gunsight. He closed his eyes for a second, heaving a sigh of relief that he hadn't fired. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked in a harsh whisper as Sam continued his struggle with the ropes binding the woman crumpled on the floor in front of them.

"Nicole had a vision," Devon answered, looking him steadily in the eye. "She saw Gordon, biting you. We had to come, Dean."

Dean stared back unblinking for a moment before dropping his gaze and shaking his head, biting angrily at his lip before answering. "I almost shot you."

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her again, the look in his eyes shooting straight to her heart. "You two stay here with her." He nodded at the woman Sam had finally freed from her bonds. "I mean it, Dev. Stay here."

Nicole grabbed at Dean's arm. "I saw it, Dean. You have to be careful. Let us come with you, watch your back. Please."

Devon looked back at him with tears in her eyes, and Dean closed his eyes again with frustration before nodding reluctantly. The woman Gordon had held hostage was barely able to stand, and Dean swept her up into his arms, her arm slung over his shoulders. "Come on. Stay close." Sam squeezed Nicole's shoulder, and they all moved forward.

Nicole let out an alarmed cry a few seconds later, a metallic crash stopping them in their tracks as a heavy aluminum overhead door slammed down between Nicole and Sam, leaving him separated from the rest of the group. Dean set the woman he was carrying on the floor, shouting his brother's name as he attempted to lift it again, then pounded on it angrily as he realized it wasn't going to budge. "Sam!"


	10. Chapter 10

"Dean!" They could hear Sam through the door, and Dean pounded at it again in frustration.

"Damn it, Sam!" They heard Sam hit the door from his side, and Dean shouted again, "Sam, be careful!" He slammed the heel of his hand against the door once again. "Son of a bitch!"

Devon was shining her flashlight around the area, looking for another way into the area Sam had been trapped in, as Nicole tried to soothe the whimpering woman who sat on the floor nearby. "Dean!" She nodded her head towards a door at the far corner, a wire-mesh reinforced window giving them a peek into the storage area beyond. "I think there's an entrance to the next area, if we can get in there."

Dean rushed to her side, peering through the window as Devon's flashlight shone on the shelves of supplies in the next room. He turned sideways, then smashed his elbow through the glass. It shattered, but stayed in the frame, held in place by the wire mesh, which he forced out with his hand, wrapped in the sleeve of his jacket.

Devon followed him closely as he opened the door and rushed to the other exit from the storage room. It was apparently barred from the outside, and Dean let out an angry curse as he pounded his fist on it, whirling around to face Devon. She stared back at him wordlessly for a second, sharing the fear she saw in his eyes before turning and heading back into the main warehouse.

Nicole stood as they came back, defeat clear on their faces, and she fought to hold back tears. "We have to help him, Dean!" she said, and Devon put an arm around her as Dean rushed by, back to the aluminum door that stood in their way. He was examining it when Nicole shouted, "Dean!" and he turned to face the woman they had rescued, now showing fangs and hissing at him as she attacked. He was on his back on the floor, the girls still shouting, and Devon was approaching them with her machete when he pulled the Colt from the back of his jeans and fired, hitting the vampire in the forehead. An eerie light shone from the bullet hole, then from her eyes and mouth as she fried from the inside with a loud sizzle, then dropped lifelessly to the ground.

"Son of a bitch," he said softly as he rose slowly to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Devon asked, sheathing her knife as she approached him.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He looked down at the dead woman, anger and disgust on his face as Devon laid a hand on his arm. "He turned her. The asshole turned her. I don't care how, he dies today."

Devon nodded in agreement and they turned their attention once again to the obstacle in their path. Dean dragged the woman's body away from the door, turning back in surprise as the wall next to the overhead door exploded into the room with a crash, a cloud of dust and debris raining down on top of Sam and Gordon as they hit the floor. Gordon, fangs out, was trying to tear out Sam's throat, and Dean took a running dive at the monster, knocking him away from his brother. Gordon rolled and came back to his feet, grabbing Dean by the front of his shirt and jacket and slamming him into the nearest wall, biting into the side of Dean's neck as Nicole screamed and Dean bellowed in pain, fighting to escape.

Devon rushed towards him, shouting Dean's name as she drew her machete, but Sam flew by her in a blur, grabbing Gordon and throwing him to the ground. Gordon charged him, pinning him against a work bench, but Sam had managed to grab a length of razor wire from the shelf, his hands poorly protected with shop rags as he wrapped the wire around the vampire's neck. Gordon snarled furiously as Sam clenched his jaw and pulled, rage and determination in his eyes, oblivious to the damage being done to his hands. Devon helped Dean to his feet, and they all watched, horrified, as the wire slowly sliced its way through muscle and bone, and Gordon's head finally rolled from his shoulders, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

There was shocked silence between them for a few seconds, and then Nicole rushed to Sam's side. "Oh, God, Sammy... your hands!" She held one large hand in hers as she removed the dirty rag from his palm, shuddering at the damage. "We have to take care of this."

"We have some bodies to get rid of. We'll live until that's done," Dean said as Devon held her overshirt to Dean's bleeding neck.

Nicole grabbed a pocket knife from her jeans, glaring at each of the men in turn as she removed her denim shirt, shivering a little at the cool air in just her tank top. She cut into the shirt and ripped strips from the bottom, then grabbed Sam's hand, wrapping it tightly as he grimaced, but restrained himself from making a sound. When she had dressed both hands, she stepped back, arms folded. "Well, get to it, then. We need to take care of those injuries, so get your asses in gear."

* * *

It was a couple of hours later that they pulled into the parking lot at the motel, leaving the 'borrowed' pickup at its former spot. They packed up quickly and left, wanting to get a few miles between them and Albany. They drove for a couple of hours and pulled into the first motel they saw at Binghamton. Devon went to the office and booked two rooms, and they dragged themselves wearily in for what was left of the night.

Dean didn't even argue as Devon helped him remove his clothes and started a hot shower for him. He was stiff and sore, and the bite on his neck throbbed painfully with each heartbeat. He stood under the water, letting it slowly sooth his hurts, while Devon undressed and joined him. She washed his wounds gently as he stood quietly, only an occasional hiss of indrawn air to let her know he was in pain. "I'm sorry," she said, touching his face briefly as he gave her a weak smile as she continued.

She knelt behind Dean on the bed as she put gauze and antibiotic ointment on his neck, being as gentle as possible. She leaned over to place a kiss on his shoulder when she was finished, and they crawled between the sheets, holding each other close as they drifted off, their adrenaline gone and exhaustion taking over.

* * *

Nicole impatiently backhanded a tear that rolled down her cheek, defying her efforts to hold it back, as she unwrapped Sam's injured hands. "I can't believe you did this," she almost sobbed, pulling the strips of her torn shirt away from the wounds. He sat there, stoic, trying not to let the pain show on his face, and she finally finished, rising to throw the makeshift bandages in the trash. "You couldn't use a knife? You had to..."

"Nic, I had to grab the closest thing available. He was gonna rip out my throat."

Another soft sob escaped her lips, and her tears won out. Sam stood and went to her, pulling her close with his arms, his bloody hands held awkwardly to avoid touching her. She squeezed him tight for a few moments until she once again took control of her emotions, sniffing and ordering him to come with her to the bathroom. "We have to clean those cuts. And all we've got is alcohol, baby. I'm so sorry."

Sam smiled softly, whispering that it was okay, and followed her to the sink. She plugged the basin, pouring the entire bottle into it, and Sam took a deep breath before immersing his injured hands in the fluid, his jaw working as he fought to control the pain.

Once he had soaked to Nicole's satisfaction, she rinsed his hands and wrapped them carefully in what seemed like yards of gauze. He lifted a hand and touched her face gently with the exposed tips of his fingers, then pulled her close and held her, and they stood there for a time before undressing and going to bed.

Nicole laid on his chest, pulling one of his hands up and kissing a fingertip softly. She felt Sam's breath catch, and smiled a little to herself as she kissed another, then another, and finally sucked just the tip into her mouth gently, making him squirm. "Did I hurt you, Sammy?" she asked, worried, but he shook his head.

"No. It's not that..."

She dropped a kiss on his chest and raised up to look at him. "Well, in that case..." She continued her kisses on his fingers, sucking on the tips and running her tongue around them until Sam let out a moan that made her laugh softly. She slid a hand down his belly and caressed him through his boxers, then kissed her way down as she pulled them down around his hips. She placed soft kisses from the base of his erection all the way to the tip, then took him into her mouth and ran her tongue up his length as his hips bucked instinctively. "Little Sammy needs some attention, and you can't take care of him right now, so I guess I'll have to," she teased, then got serious with her attentions as Sam moaned loudly, fighting the urge to grab onto her or anything close with his bandaged hands.

"God, Nic... I can't... you're making me crazy. I want to touch you, and I can't..."

Nicole stopped, kissing his belly and moving up to his lips. "It's okay, baby - I'll take care of you," she whispered, and he crushed her to his chest with his arms as he kissed her roughly, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip as a low growl emanated from his chest. She kissed him back hungrily, then raised to her knees, tearing her shirt off over her head and removing her panties before pulling Sam's boxers the rest of the way off. She wasted no time, straddling his hips, and Sam moaned loudly as she rubbed herself against him.

"Nic... baby, please..." he whispered, his voice rough and breathless, and she raised up, positioned herself, and lowered herself until he was buried to the hilt, making her hold her breath for a moment as she clenched around him. Sam raised up on his elbows, and Nicole leaned closer to allow him to take a nipple into his mouth, whimpering as he teased at it, until she could hold still no longer and began to rock back and forth on him as Sam thrust himself up hard into her.

She braced her hands on his chest, staring down at him as she began to ride him hard, feeling his frustration at not being able to hold on and help. it wasn't long until she felt herself drawing close, beginning to lose her rhythm as her eyes drifted closed. "Come on, baby... come on a little more..." Sam managed to say, his voice breaking as she pushed herself to continue, slamming her body down to meet his again and again, biting her lip so hard she was afraid she'd draw blood. Only when he let out a loud moan and she felt him pulsating inside her did she finally let herself go, her shout echoing in the room. She rode out their high, then collapsed, exhausted, on Sam's chest, fighting for air, her heart pounding hard in her chest. Sam grunted as she spasmed around him again, and she whimpered weakly. "You okay?" he asked softly, his fingertips touching her back lightly, sending a shudder through her.

"I'm okay," she whispered, unable to even lift her head to look at him for the moment. They laid like that for a time, until finally Nicole mustered the strength to roll off of him and lay sprawled beside him on the rumpled sheets. "I love you, Sammy."

He rolled to his side, leaning to kiss her gently, then dropped back to his pillow. "I love you too, Nic," barely getting the words out before sleep took him, Nicole not far behind.

* * *

Devon woke from the haze of deep sleep, moaning softly as she slowly became aware of Dean's mouth on her breast, his tongue gently flicking at her nipple, his hand gliding smoothly down her belly. "Dean?" she said softly, her hand coming up to bury itself in his hair as he continued, his fingers making their way between her legs.

He raised his head as touched her there, his fingers finding their way home as he kissed her hard, almost desperately, then bent to nip at her throat. "I need you, Dev."

"I'm right here," she whispered, then gasped at the sensations flooding through her body as it responded to his touch, suddenly very much awake. He sucked at the soft skin of her breast, as he plunged his fingers in deeper, and then pulled them from her to lower himself between her legs.

"God, Dev, I can't..."

"It's okay, baby, come home," she said softly, and he filled her, forcing himself to stop for a moment as he kissed her again, demanding, ravenous, and his intensity took her breath away.

He pulled back once, slowly sliding back to the hilt before he lost all self-control and began to drive himself into her, one hand on her hip, his fingers digging into her flesh. He reached between them, his thumb swirling and pressing into her most sensitive spot, and she cried out his name as she came apart beneath him, her fingers clawing into his shoulders as his thrusts became erratic. He let out a loud moan, then growled as he came, so hard he lost himself completely for a moment, his vision blurred and his head spinning. His body was shaking as he lowered himself down, and Devon cradled his head on her shoulder, one hand stroking his hair as the other glided over the smooth skin of his back, slick with sweat.

They laid there, silent, in each other's arms for several minutes before he was able to speak. "I'm sorry, Dev. I just... I needed you bad... I didn't mean..."

"Shhh. It's okay. Trust me, more than okay. No complaints here."

He was kissing her skin softly, his hands moving gently over her, and she felt him move inside her, growing hard again as he raised his head to look down at her. "Maybe we should try this again?" he asked as he kissed her, nibbling softly at her lips, his tongue teasing at hers. Devon didn't answer. She didn't have to.


End file.
